Upgrade
Become a
Premium Member
and post notes and photos about your poem like Gregory Richard Barden.
I kissed her
like I had a thousand thousand other times
it was ...
similar -
the same movement and press
the same taste
the same lips and mouth and tongue
the same warmth and wildness
and yet ...
it was like kissing a stranger
something intangible had changed it entirely
and my heart dropped like lead ...
instantly, my eyes shot open
and I backed away from her
holding her at
distance with outstretched arms
tears already staining my face
(now pale as the moon)
"oh dear god!" I cried
"you didn't ... you promised!"
and it ALL changed then
as if I was seeing someone I'd
never met before
though I'd spent more than half my
life with this person
"you don't understand", she replied
"you CAN'T understand,
because you're not like ... US"
and it was that last word that killed me
I knew then I'd lost her for good
that no matter what I did
she would forever be a million miles away
and part of an existence that
saw me as inferior, weaker ...
even pitiable ...
she had gone through “The Conversion", you see
two-and-a-half million dollars
(Daddy’s moolah, of course)
and a week in the facility
and now ... reborn!
a cloned body that would never age
never realize disease
never end, but for unnatural means
or accident
and even THEN
there was another version waiting
her mind, id, emotions, passions, psyche -
all that made her HER -
saved to a hard drive
and ready for download ...
I could already see the ‘poor mortal’ pity
in her eyes
and I already hated her for it
I let go of her and stood there a moment
taking a mental picture
while the foolish tears streamed
"you've killed us", I said
and I waited ...
for an apology
an argument
a slap, a tear, a sigh
SOMEthing ...
but she just stood there
pitying me
and I could take no more ...
"I will miss you", I whispered
"but I won't miss this ... THING"
and I poked her angrily as I bit that last
word off like poison …
it was a brutal comment
but it was the only ammunition I had ...
I took the gold ring off my finger
kissed it tenderly
dropped it at her feet
wiped my face dry
and walked away into the gloaming
more alone than I’d ever been …
before.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, December 29, 2022
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden | Year Posted 2023
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.
Please
Login
to post a comment