First

Just before dinnertime and she shades her eyes from the setting sun
Waiting at a baron oak tree not far from her home
A place unvisited, yielding to memories new
Her smile soon gives way; this wasn’t what she expected
Standing rigid, he offers her nothing but misery
Indifferent he is as she empties her eyes
A mirage of himself, suddenly a person she never knew
Until disappearing once and forever
Without so much a tear or even an ounce of compassion
More the way he said it than the words themselves that she will replay for a time unknown
Yet, there has always got to be a first for everything

Just before nightfall, her fairytale dream continues to crumble away 
Returning to all she finds familiar; the arms of her mother engulf her
While her father releases a tension that’s been building for a generation
Wondering when his past deeds would finally catch up with him
Finally understanding what it all means to come full circle

Such ease
To be erased without so much a thought
Such ease
His words flowing through her mind
Such ease
Broken she is, this girl gave too much
Such ease
Never did she believe she’d think of herself as a rental
Such ease
A perception new, one to be used against the next

Just before bedtime, she’s comforted by the only two truths she’s ever known
There to pick up the pieces even after she had shunned them away
It’s never been their style to be anything less
Good night, sweet princess, try and rest your eyes
Tomorrow’s a new day, and we’ll be right here
No, it’s never been their style to be anything less
Rest your eyes, sweet darling, and try not to think
There’s so much more for you; better days await

Just before midnight and her mind’s still running on overdrive 
Why wasn’t I good enough? uttered one million and one times
Replaying in her mind all the good times and all the bad
Wondering which to savor as memories and which to discard as lies
Little does she know that she’s in for the longest journey of her life

Just a quick one about a teenage girl getting dumped for the first time in her life. I wrote this poem very, very quickly and with very few edits. And it's one of my favorites. I hope I captured the distrust, confusion, anger, and sadness associated with this. I hope I captured her feelings and the feelings of her loving parents (especially her father). This is one of those poems that I told a quick but fulfilling story in just a few short lines. I hope so anyway.

Written in 2006

Copyright, The Poetry of Bryan Buser