The Taste of Bitterness

He was a bitter aging man He’d never married Had lost the love of his life And never recovered She had died before his return from war Her parents’ home still stood there like a castle He often gazed at it from his window After their final family funeral He became incensed when he heard Some city slicker was moving into her house And when that day did come, he took to spying on him Cursing him, venomous and vicious Vindictive and spiteful, inflamed with jealousy Maliciously sinning by mischief and omission Finally the bitter aging man did win And the village prepared for another funeral All his conniving had paid off It was shortly after That the tragedy was discovered The two lovers had been separated by a letter Lost and never delivered Florette announcing her condition Did not receive a reply Had moved away in shame And died on her own giving birth Submitted on January 8, 2023 for contest 2022 MARATHON MILE 24 sponsored by MARK TONEY and October 27, 2017 for contest STANDARD No.45 sponsored by BRIAN STRAND