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The Ring
The Ring
Copyright © September 3, 2018 by Douglas W. Jerving.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the author, except
as provided by USA copyright law.
She never thought these things would come to this.
When does the ocean really reach the shore?
The sky, filled cloudy, entrain upon earth
To overtake it as some foreigner?
The night encompass day, so sun won’t shine
As if it were hell’s silence overcame
The whole of earth?
“I cannot answer you”
Was all the answer Jonathan could give.
“He was heroic in the end and saved
The best of men and he saved even me.”
John knew her man could barely stand his sight.
“We went into the fire haphazardly
Hoping to find at least one last soul.”
“He
Was never a man who cared for others,
John! He barely was considerate of me
His own dear wife, unless of course I paid
The rent to keep a roof over our heads.
I loved him still, but still I think that he
Was more in love with women out at sea.
Those far ports were filled with many mermaids
Of darker persuasions than I could offer,
And even here these dry docks knew his name.
But Kevin kept himself from them for me
At least while he was here and not at sea.”
“He was an honest man.”
“Honest to God
He could not spare a nickel for some bread
Unless the loaf was for some Queen of Hearts.”
John paused at her accusations. Silent,
He produced from the pocket of his coat
A ring: the wedding ring that Kevin wore
Before he went down with the burning ship.
“He loved you Doris, and he loves you still
Beneath those waters in heaven or hell.
At that last moment before we were saved
He pulled this from his finger knowing death
Was all ahead of him and grave and brave
He passed it to me as in recompense,
Or maybe in repentance, since I heard
Him pray ‘Dear Lord, forgive me as I take
My life into my own hand out of Yours.’
He went furious into that fiery mass
Burning head to foot he closed the header
And then with one last breath the breach
Was ended as was he.”
Doris took the ring, knowing not to say
Whatever might be said when earth and sky
Accrete upon themselves. It was for her
As if heaven and earth had at last joined
In Holy Matrimony.
“ ‘A far thing, this,
Better done, and a better place I go
Than here.’ ” She spoke from broken memory.
It was the one piece of prose Kevin knew
And now it was near to her as heaven.
Jonathan’s answer was enough.
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Doug Jerving is the publisher of the NewEdisonGazette.com. You may contact him at
djerving@newedisongazette.com.
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