On the Day of Your Death



On the Day of Your Death
January 27th 2022
 
This morning I am remembering  
London, walking through Hyde Park
You are wearing your father’s heavy
wool coat that housed him through the war,
‘Dear John’ letters in its deep pockets.
Your hands a landscape still in mine.
We headed for the dome of the Royal Albert Hall
Death was simply not considered then in our expanding lives.
I want you back, all of you.
Everyone who has ever lost, says that.
The warmth of you, the smell of snowflakes on your shoulders.
Your happiness, intellectual levity and
deep voice where I plunged for refuge.
We left through the iron gates for
crumpets and tea knowing nothing of marriage.
How it shapes and drop kicks the
heart for muscular love.

About this poem

Every year on my husband's death day I write him a poem this is the one I wrote for this year.

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Written on January 27, 2022

Submitted by judithalison.adams on August 08, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

43 sec read
54

Quick analysis:

Scheme XX XXXAXXXXXXXXXAXXX
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 737
Words 144
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 2, 17

Judith Adams

Bio Judith Adams is an English-born poet living on Whidbey Island, Washington State. Judith has published four books of poetry and recorded several CDs of her work and performances. She has two children’s books published by Wynstones Press in England. Her poems have been published in magazines and anthologies and her poetry choreographed for Eurythmy performance in New York State. Judith has taken poetry to patients at the Cancer Care Alliance, read at the Frye Museum, Bainbridge Island Museum, Spokane Museum of Art, Third Place Books in Seattle, Wa State Correctional Institutions, libraries, State Hospitals, theatres, retreat centers and schools. Judith conducts poetry workshops for youth and adults and most recently is leading a Poetic Apothecary at Healing Circles Langley, WA. Judith was selected for the Washington State Speakers Bureau for 2017-18 and has selected to speak for another two years 2019/20. more…

All Judith Adams poems | Judith Adams Books

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    "On the Day of Your Death" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/136441/on-the-day-of-your-death>.

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