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The Letters

On a cold wintry evening at sunset
On a bench next to a tree at the beach
Gazing forlornly at the sea, she sat
All alone in her world, beyond our reach

On her lap, a box made of mahogany
It’s old and battered but she paid no heed
Taking out the letters so tenderly
In the fading light she began to read ……..

They had met each other when they were eighteen
Fell in love and vowed that it will never end
But due to circumstances, unforeseen
He had to sail to a far-away land

Pledging his love, he begged her to wait
He’ll make her his wife he promised, one day
With tears in her eyes, a sad goodbye she bade
Waving on the pier as the ship sailed away

One after another the letters came
Declaring his undying love as always
They made her happy as she felt the same
Awaiting his return she counted the days

Summer turned into autumn, the years flew by
Winter into spring then it was summer again
Forty years have passed since they said goodbye
Forty years of waiting, tears and pain

A bundle of old yellowing letters
Inside a box in a drawer, she kept
At night, alone, when it is quieter
One by one the letters were read and reread

Eyes brimming with tears she let out a sigh
As a tear run down her cheek so pale
Separated lovers would understand why
Night after night she read without fail

Then one day, the letters stopped abruptly
Day after day, there was nothing in the mail
She waited for the postman, frantically
Hoping for a letter but to no avail

Early yesterday morning a letter came
Putting an end to months of anxious waiting
“It must be from him”, she happily exclaimed
It was from his daughter to say he’s dying ……..

On a cold wintry evening, at sunset
She saw him leaving for "that far-away land"
She waved farewell, whispered, “I’ll never forget”
His aged photo tightly clutched in her hand


Author notes

In the 1900s, China was in turmoil and many young men were forced to leave for far-away lands to work in mines, rubber estates, the docks, etc to earn money to send to their loved ones back home. Many of them never returned.

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Comments

1 - 8 of 8

  • BearWoman gold member
    June 21

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    I enjoyed this piece. I would have prefered the "Note" to be in the Author's Notes section, so as not to prejudice how I like to approach a read. It actually would have been more impactful for me that way (I would have had to ponder the circumstances of the poem's character, than I would reassess the entire piece/story based on the note). This was the most poignant part for me: "It was from his daughter to say he’s dying …….." *crying*

    Thank you for entering this piece.


  • BluesMan gold member
    February 25
    Edit | Reply

    This such a sad story of a love never realized due to distance and time. Thank you for entering my contest


  • Symphony
    February 19

    Edit | Reply
    This was heartbreaking -

    And to think her love lasted through all those years, amazing

    You created a wonderful storyline here - and told her story, so beautifully. I've read one along these lines before about a woman whose man goes off to war, and she waits for him by the willow tree every day - and then finally sees him on the last day -

    but it's his ghost she sees [as he died], and then she drifts off to death, still waiting at 'their' spot - i love that poem, and this one reminded me greatly of it!

    Thanks for entering


  • gigglesalot
    January 6

    Edit | Reply
    .........this was so SAD!!!!!! im like in tears right now. gosh. the flow and the rhyme of it all was so great....im just like wow.

1 - 8 of 8