Reliving the Past

these are activities he loved
and her guilt is that she had not always wanted
what he chose

they had lived separate contented lives
now she would have replayed some scenes
and done them differently

he always took his wine glass
and sat by the water’s edge
for the “magic hour”
when the light falls horizontally
and the boats reflect the brilliance
of the late afternoon sun

she goes down to the dock without wine
and watches the light fade
and thinks of him
in his wheelchair in the living room
vacantly facing the sea


Lari Smith