Saturday, May 9, 2015

Tears are important

The tears form in his old eyes. His eyes who have seen more than I have. His eyes who have seen time, decades and decades. I smile because of his tears. 
The power of his tears hits me with full force, and I decide to watch him closely. I understand what this moment is and know that I want to remember it. But I forget why is this moment so important? 

I feel the cool November breeze against my body even though I’m sweating. I’m sweating because this is the most exciting thing I have ever seen. I can feel the importance of this moment but I still don’t understand it. 
This is what he wants. This moment. I know he has wanted it for so long, his whole life. Everyone knows what’s about to happen, people have already said congratulations. They are about to win.

The calm before the storm. The tear slides down his face and I look around at everyone else, already hugging. 
The storm begins. 
I hear the loud shouts of young, old, men, women. Colors fly everywhere and there is a lot of jumping. The jam-packed stadium rises to its feet, jumps, shouts. I see hugging and kissing and I feel myself smile. 
I stand amidst all of this joy and think about it. I won’t ever get this moment back. I’m proud that I know that. I simply smile and although I don't understand the importance, I understand the simplicity of this euphoria. 
I’m still watching him, crying. He stands up, alone, and nobody sees him except for me. Then all of the sudden, everyone looks at him like he’s blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. I hug him, I feel his warm body which makes me forget the sound and the jumping. I do this for him. I want him to have this moment. 

3 comments:

  1. Molly, I love this vignette. The imagery is outstanding and I can easily grasp the emotions in the room. I love how you take what might be seen as a sad moment, and turn it into a happy one. It keeps the reader wanting to know what is going on in this mans life and what he is so grateful for. Good job!!!!

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  2. Molly, I love how your vignette evokes so many emotions. I can really feel the exciting, over-whelming, and hectic atmosphere that you experienced in the moment. I also appreciate how you demonstrated the love you have for the "him" in the story. It's power can touch the reader personally.

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  3. This vignette is fascinating in the sense that it does not focus on maturity or a coming of age, but rather the lack thereof. While cryptic, it is beautifully relatable how you do not understand what you are seeing or what you should be feeling, a sensation so indicative to youth. While I don’t necessarily understand what this poem is about or what experience in your life from which you are drawing, it is poetic in a very colloquial way, and I truly enjoyed absorbing the emotion of the moment so brilliantly expressed here in this vignette.

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