Monday, December 5, 2011

Mag 94 12/4/11 Reminder

                                          Lunch, George Tooker, 1964, Columbus Museum of Art.

"Don't forget to pray" She whispered.
"I won't ever, no-" He bent his head
 briefly squeezing her hand.
  They sat in silence side by side,
she in blue and he in brown, a
brother and sister in from the farmland
of Pennsylvania.
   He pulled a couple of sandwiches
out of his pocket and passed her one.
"Tea ?" She lifted a bag from the floor.
" That would be lovely, thanks."
The thermos provided steamy, dark tea
which she slid over the table to him.
  They ate and drank together until
the loud speaker came on .
" One o'clock train to D.C, arriving on track four."
" Come on Mira, "  He stood and reached for his hat.
" Yes, Lucas I'm coming-" She tucked the remnants
of lunch away and got up to follow him.
It was time for the next leg of their
journey, to meet their younger brothers
remains and bring him back home.




13 comments:

Laurie Kolp said...

Wow- I didn't expect that ending. Powerful!

JJ Roa Rodriguez said...

i was intense simple story at the beginning,a nd the ending answered why... love it!

JJRod'z

Carrie Van Horn said...

Amazing writing Izzy....thought provoking and true to the heart!

Helen said...

You transitioned the words of your poem beautifully ...

Brian Miller said...

oh you saved the chill to the end for us...making this pic and poem all the more solemn...

Tumblewords: said...

Oh, what a poignant twist at the end. Well done!

Suz said...

wow....I followed you to the end....and smack
a brilliant story told in so few few words...
well done indeed

Lyn said...

You brought so many qualities to this..loneliness, want, saddness..this is so personal! Excellent..

Margaret said...

Such a sorrowful journey and they still found comfort in praying. I loved it.

Lolamouse said...

So sad. Not the way one would hope a family reunion to be.

Berowne said...

Marvelous tone poem -- then a power ending.

Isabel Doyle said...

Well done - you've captured that infinite sadness in the painting.

Lydia said...

What Berowne said!

Wow, just this week the remains of a local soldier killed last week in Afghanistan were returned home, accompanied by his two brothers. One is in the service, the other is not - and he had to get permission to be one to carry the casket off the plane. He wore a dark suit. God, it was terribly sad.