MECHANICAL PENCIL
Sean P. Hotchkiss

I prefer to write in pencil

Not sure why

Ink may be too permanent

 

I wrote to you of my love

“click”

for you, the deepness of it

 

There were times that we

irritated each other, or “click” disagreed

A short interruption of our story

“click”

like when the lead is too short 

 

and must be pulled from the pencil

“click click click click”

(too far, push it back a little)

 

But our love was always there,

always strong, always true

“click click”

 

Love, marriage, children,

“click”

bills, home, love. Always love

Even when, or especially when

you got sick. “click” Always love.

 

Our story continued, with

“click”

care and mutual devotion

 

I check the pencil, and

the lead is running low

“click”

 

I see no refill, as

your end draws near

“click click”

I would love to write

less to preserve the lead

but our love must be told, must

continue fully until the end

“click”

 

To the last we were together, you

“click”

dying by my side as we slept

 

The story ended, the lead is gone

“       “

 

Perhaps if I had written our story in ink…