Home » Poems » Chicano Eddie » An Old River Lesson

An Old River Lesson

"AN OLD RIVER LESSON"



while the woman I love is 
making me wait for her time 
to go out and play with her 
family and friends that are 
now making her happy, I took 
a trip to the river. I laid 
my blanket down on the grass 
and looked up at the sky. I 
was in front of the lake but 
I didn't look much. I could 
hear the ducks move and the 
children play. I could smell 
the food from the barbecues 
nearby. turning over I saw an 
old homeless couple on a 
blanket with holes. they had 
been beaten by the sun and 
torn by life. you could tell 
that they were in love. she 
reached over attempting to 
hand him a sandwich she had 
made from items she collected 
from the garbage. she opened 
up a warm soda and poured it 
into a plastic cup. she shook 
him as if to say, "wake up 
baby, wake up! time to eat." 
he sat up, leaned in to kiss 
her and ate. it was apparent 
they had been through their 
own version of hell. she had 
never given up on him nor he 
her. I've known many women in 
my life who swore they were 
happy with what influenced 
their mind outside of who 
they loved. I've seen many 
men pretend they didn’t love
who they truly loved. today 
by the river, I saw an old 
couple beaten by the sun and 
torn apart by life. I never 
thought a woman without any 
teeth and a man with three 
strands of hair over his eyes 
would teach me that love 
could last even in the most 
crazy of conditions. they had 
made it, they had done some-
thing right. there I sat 
broken hearted by the woman 
from Padre Street. most men are 
afraid of death because 
they know it's coming, but 
every woman is afraid of love 
because they know at one 
point it is real. I lay on 
the grass and the woman I 
love is out dancing and 
singing and laughing and 
fishing and eating and 
conversing outside her home 
when she says she hates 
talking. she's enjoying 
herself. "it's been so long" 
as she told me. I stop and 
think, had she got rid of her 
fears and accepted love, she 
would have stood with it 
longer. when asked why by 
those she calls friends and 
family, she would have said 
because it's something I've 
never had and it's been so 
long. that would’ve made all 
the difference.

By: Chicano Eddie

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.