Anniversary Poem - The House is Quiet Now

by Fred McIlmoyle
(Northern Ireland)

The house is quiet now
With hollow echoes – ill at ease
Our offspring reared,
Sadly we watched them leave
One by one
Wrapped in that last caress,
They – vowing to write each week
We – expecting less.

The house is quiet now
As we try in vain to fill
The empty spaces that remain with plans.
It seems like yesterday I took your hand;
We stood as newly weds
Then built planned future
Raised our family
- today what lies ahead?

The house is quiet now.
How those fragile years have flown
Amazed, I wonder where.
Now I’m alone -
Aimless among our memories.
A week-end visit from the family
Too frequent visits to the library
The house is quiet now!