Keeping Her Alive By Matthew Longerbeam

they had known married life

for many years

had grown old together

grown used to each other

grown apart

they hardly needed to talk

anymore

so they rarely did

 

he would complain that

she always had plenty

to say

when the game was on

just

to his mind

never anything important

 

she loved knitting,

working in her garden,

cooking, and

taking care of her house plants,

that he felt crowded the kitchen

he hated those damn plants

 

his devotions were

scotch and soda,

Tony Bennett on vinyl,

and baseball on tv

then one day

she was gone

 

after the funeral

his grown daughters

carried away most of her things

he figured she would have

wanted it that way

now

he sits alone at night

he no longer drinks

she always hated his scotch

he still watches baseball

but he cannot concentrate

on it anymore

he tries to remember

all those silly things

she talked about

 

he sleeps on her side of the bed now

walks the house in her robe

watches all her favorite shows,

shows he could never stand

before

most importantly

though

he waters

those damn plants


Matthew Longerbeam is a native of Maryland. He was a victim of violent crime in the 1990s and has spent most of his adult life in recovery. Matthew is currently working on a degree in Human Services at HCC and lives in Williamsport, Md with his wife Tabby and his cat Hobo.