A Breath Held Too Long (Audio Poem)

There fell a long, uncomfortable silence on them,
Like a breath held too long.
Neither spoke, neither looked at the other,
Each thought, but said nothing.
Years passed in the interlude.

Finally, the silence was broken,
Like the shattering pane of glass
The boy had put his hand through when he was five.
“Is it worth the trouble. . .the pain,
To go on like this?”

“You could have done something before now.”

“What could I do?”

“Something. . .Anything!”

“How could I?
You know I did everything I could.”

“No, I don’t know! He’s your son.
Why didn’t you make him?”

“That’s not fair!
It’s not like the boy’s a child anymore.”

His own words caught him off guard,
He saw; he realized the magnitude of the words. . .
Where had the years gone?
Why wasn’t he a child anymore?

He began again, "And...
And I’m...well…I’m not a father anymore.”

Tears fell silently down his creased cheeks,
Like the first tricklings of a stream
Down a long-dried creek bed, not sure which way to go.
His lips quivered slightly;
He was no longer strong enough to exert his will
Or fight back anymore tears.
He sighed the longest sigh,
As though he’d been holding his breath all his life.