Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Doorbell



the doorbell rang
as it did before, as it did
at so many homes - during the
Great World War

and the Great  World War had taken so
many sons -
"Pray God not mine, not my only one"
and the doorbell rang just
once more - as she pulled her apron
to wring her hands - moving slowly
across the wooden floor, its planks
where he had learned
to walk, and there her heart
had nothing more to say - nothing
more -and her tears gave way

and through the lace curtains
she saw a man
in uniform standing straight, standing tall
and grabbing her
heart - fall, "No" she had
to go, and undid
the latch -

and with turn
of knob -  truth hit
her every bone....that the boy she knew
was the man, come home....

bkmackenzie
copyrighted 2011

Posted for Magpie Tales

37 comments:

  1. Seems like a true story - really fits the old house in this pic. Nice one shot bkm.

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  2. Oh this was so wonderful, I loved it.

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  3. I really wanted this ending. Very sharp emotive poem.

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  4. A happy ending! Skillfully done.

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  5. Loved the ending. It was not what I was expecting. Good job.

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  6. Heart stopping..a noble truth..very well done!

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  7. Not the ending we expected. Very good, well told.
    (You have "though" where you mean "through", I think, in the first line of the third stanza)

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  8. Nicely told... not what one expected from the lead, gentle smiles and more tears at the ending.

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  9. Great story ...in every sentences I can feel the old women's fear and love...and liked the happy ending of her son returning home

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  10. This struck a chord with me, having sons this age. I'm only too thankful they didn't have to go off to war.

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  11. oh this is heavy...we just watched the hallmark movie the other week the last valentine...this rings of that...

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  12. thanks I know the poem could have gone either way...at the end...put I was think of a show I watch on Norman Rockwell and so I had to end it this way...bkm

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  13. Beautiful ending...I thought the worst at first. So glad you put a happy spin on it.

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  14. Oh, I am so glad about the ending, I was bracing myself for the inevitable, just like the mother.

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  15. Wonderful post. You always take me away. I found myself holding my breath, or couldn't breath. So glad to interview on Poets United, loved to learn more about you!

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  16. Oh what a lovely thing you have here! It was perfect. I loved it!

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  17. I love this so much!!! You captured me at the ending .... lovely lovely!!!!

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  18. Wonderful that was so wonderful. I left out a sigh of total relief!

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  19. Oh you dirty tricker! But I'm glad. :-)

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  20. whew! Thank goodness! Well done.

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  21. Oh, yes, a perfect ending! Oh, yes!!

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  22. eerie but indulging. reminds me of a place called Wuthering Heights.

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  23. Isn't it great when a plan comes together the way it should?! Loved this poem...

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  24. The uniformed man at the front step....with dire news or jubilation. Well done.

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  25. Oh my! That choked me a little that did. Happy be!

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  26. very nice!! so much to this story!! well written too!! nice!

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  27. Oh my!! What a reunion!! I am sooooo happy for them...
    Since when did I get so emotional??? But your poem certainly filled my eyes with happy tears, bkm...
    Throughout the poem, I kept praying that this story end well.. and it did!! Infact, it ended with a new beginning...

    A BEAUTIFUL read!!

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  28. I wanted a happy ending ... you provided it beautifully!!!

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  29. bkm,
    Thanks for the happy ending; too oft' the lady's fears materialize: too often.
    rel

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  30. I'm sure you voiced the dread that every soldier's mother feels. I'm so glad the boy came home!

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  31. Tears. This poem is so special. I hope you know that it is.

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  32. I wonder how many mothers went through this. many I expect.

    A wonderful write

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  33. This is a gripper of the heart indeed Bkm....amazingly captured....beautifully written!!!! :-)

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  34. I really really loved this simple, honest and heart-felt story.

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  35. With such love she deserves a happy ending.

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