Poem of the Week |16| The Secret

By Noel King Last updated May 22, 2015

The Secret

Only I know
the length you go

lying awake at night
drawing the countdown, 41,40,39,
all the way down to 1 and then
the magic zero over and over
like counting sheep till you sleep.

Only I know
the length you go

driving your wife to shops,
waiting in the car,
counting the currency you’ve earned,
estimating what she’ll spend,
balance the books in your head,
yet all she can do
is give out to you.

Only I know
the length you go

in the swimming pool,
making every muscle exercise
to keep fit the bits of you
that still work.

Only I know
the length you go

pushing your younger daughter on the park swings,
an eye on the older girl
listening to her i-pod on the bench;
you worry for them
growing older without a father.

Only I know
the length you go