Mechanical Pencil

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 to 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…

Published in the 2024 edition of The Bellwether Review literary magazine.