A New Start Poem by Mary Champion

There's scarce a hint of daylight when I wake,
as troubling dreams expel me from my bed.
I step into the chilly air and take
the path towards the swollen stream ahead.

The foaming flow of water seems to share
the turbulence within my anxious soul.
The inky depths reflect my dull despair.
I pause and let the memories unroll.

Eight years have passed since that ill-fated day -
the day you left the life that we had shared.
Through anguished tears I watched you walk away,
and heard your parting shot: - you'd never cared.

Since then I've fought to keep the grief at bay.
I filled my life through ev'ry waking hour -
too much distraction - too much work and play -
too much of anything that had the pow'r
 

to banish all my memories of you.
But, in this solitude, I see it clear -
I've no strength left to run - evasion's through.
I let the recollections reappear.

The resonance is raw and yet I find
the memories hurt less than I had feared.
My heart is bruised and tender, but my mind
has overblown how deep the scars are seared.

Breathing deep, I face the coming day.
The healing was in progress all along.
For eight long years denial has held sway,
but I can deal with this - I can move on.