The Final Divide
A poem by Diane Elayne Dees

The Final Divide

Tables and lamps were hauled away,
crystal and jewelry sold, bank accounts
drained, photographs banished from sight.
Meanwhile, in the attic, two crumbling
boxes of Christmas tree ornaments
remained. Months passed before
I remembered them. So we sat on the floor—
two wounded creatures among
the shimmering detritus of years
of failed holidays. You, who could barely
stand the sight of a Christmas tree, took a cat,
a clock, some gifts from me. I took two,
the rest went out with the trash. I wept
for all the tense Christmas mornings,
the gifts I never wanted, the elegant
dinners shared by two strangers bound
by contract and fear. But the next morning,
I brought the trash in, found the discarded
objects, and added some to my tiny
collection. My memories are mournful,
but the ornaments are beautiful,
they belong to me, and I claim them, knowing
only too well how easily they can break.

About the Author:

Diane Elayne Dees is the author of the chapbooks, Coronary Truth (Kelsay Books), The Last Time I Saw You (Finishing Line Press), and The Wild Parrots of Marigny (Querencia Press). Diane, who lives in Covington, Louisiana, also publishes Women Who Serve, a blog that delivers news and commentary on women’s professional tennis throughout the world. Her author blog is Diane Elayne Dees: Poet and Writer-at-Large.

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