The Bloom is Gone
The bloom is gone
I saw it coming
I knew it would happen
Subtle hints of drying petals
In the eyes
Around the mouth
The shine— the luster— the sparkle
Slowly fading
Life took a toll day-by-day
Year-to-year
I gave and gave
There is less of me in the mirror
As days go by
“You’re oh so lucky!” they tell me
I made it though some
Dark
Sad times
Part of me is missing
The first buds of womanhood
Sustenance for my young
My chest lay bare
They say…
“You should be glad you’re still alive!”
As if I am unaware— ungrateful
I stand on a different stage now
I am not needed as before
Offspring have left
Career— part of my past
New horizons loom ahead
I lift my eyes… slowly
To forge in a new direction
Blooms become flowers
Then dry to give a fragrance
A Potpourri that lingers in the air
Reminding all…
I was here
I was a flower
A fragrance
I am survivor
Karen Ross Epp
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