My breath floated silently toward Heaven.
I watched as it disappeared
Blending seamlessly with the cloud filled sky.
With upturned collar
I stood with loved ones feeling completely alone;
Such a strange feeling this is.
I had known her for almost fifty years,
But suddenly came to realize…
I scarcely knew her at all.
Self-absorbed with my life, my own family,
Thinking she would always be there
I never thought to ask who she was,
What her life was like,
Even where she born;
It just never occurred to me to ask
And never came up in conversation.
My picture of her had always been the same,
White hair, as white as newly fallen snow,
Her cheek, soft and smooth to the kiss,
Kind and joyful, yet quiet as a mouse;
Always taking a backseat to the love of her life.
Sadly, her time has now passed
Taking with it the story that was her.
I am left to gather up snippets,
Like those tossed on the cutting room floor
Selectively shared second hand.
My chance has passed to hear her story
In the truth that can only come from living it.
No fault can be placed, but on me
So on me alone the fault must lie.
By divine retribution, I stand here,
In the icy chill of winter to bid farewell
To one I loved dearly,
More dearly than she would ever know
And with profound sadness I’ve come to realize
…That I never really knew her at all.
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
Dom DiFrancesco 
Beautifully written. 🙂
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. 🙂
I come to you with love Especially for You much happiness and good health transmits the iubire.Va want a magical evening and a good night sleep and blessed.
Thank you so much Ileana for the kind words and the wonderful photographs you sent. I appreciate them very much. Bless you my friend. 🙂
I feel this way with many family members who have passed. We live such busy lives, focused, looking toward the future and in the midst of it all some of those around us (usually the ones who are the closest and mean the most to us) are placed aside – not in a bad way, so to speak, but because we figure there will be time – another time when or as soon as I finish this project I will or ……. Then when they are gone, we realize it is too late – to find out what we want, what we need from the person who lived it or made it – or made us who we are. xx Lovely writing Dom.
Thank you Kimberly and you got it exactly right. We get busy and figure that we will always have time and get to it when we finish the next thing and somehow it never seems to happen. It’s a very sad thing and has been bothering me lately. For those that have passed, it is too late, but it isn’t too late to do something about this attitude in the future.
A heartbreaking poem Dom.
Thank you, this was something I have been thinking about a lot lately which saddens me. I should have been more interested when I had the chance.
You’re not alone Dom, but be careful with ‘shoulds’ – beating yourself up doesn’t help.
You are right since there isn’t anything that can be done with the past, I have to look to the future. Thank you for the encouragement Gilly.