“One Day, Forgotten” by Jeremy C Watson

Photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels.com

I’m beginning to wonder what forgetting me will be like for you
how much of me will dance away like a fading favorite song nearing its end
I pirouette out of your memory
falling into unacquainted salutations
again, for the first time
 
I dodge your mental eraser
frightened at the possibility that
one day, I will look into your eyes as they pierce through me
confused at who I remind you of
will you wonder what happened to your son?
will you question where he has gone?
though he sits next to you, holding you through letting him go
 
how scared must you be
to not remember the life you’ve lived so freely
who will you be without her
her, who mothered sons to men
courageously alone
bearing the burden of their grudge
her, who has grown from her mistakes
how far will you regress to weakness
when you can’t remember why you’re so strong
the two of you mentally social distancing
while her soul shows distancing
as the woman you once were flees from the woman who will forget her existence
while holding on to as much of her as the mind allows
how I wish I could negotiate with God
make it so that only the bad memories are forgotten
that way, you can smile the rest of the time I have with you
the rest of the time you have with me
 
 I learned you were more than my mother
you were a woman long before a man called you baby and you loaned that name to me
a man held your hand and stained your checks with his lips that spoke lies
so, my fabrications you deciphered effortlessly
the first man you ever met failed to tell you he loved you
and you raised three men who failed to tell you the same
maybe we each thought you knew
maybe the father that called you his daughter expected your heart to receive the words your ears longed for
maybe he left you so empty you filled us with the same unanswered longing
I love you
and I forgive you for not being the mother the woman, life made you, wouldn’t allow you to be
you aren’t perfect
and I am happy you weren’t
because if all I knew was how to live perfectly
my life would be empty of all the beautiful imperfections that make life lived in
 
you are the sunset that reaches and expands and explores
and when you one day set
all who were warmed by your light won’t forget the beauty you lit up our world with

Copyright © 2024 Jeremy Watson
All Rights Reserved

Residing in Belleville, Illinois, Jeremy C. Watson is a proud husband, father of four, successful entrepreneur, photographer, 5-time self-published author, and spoken word artist.

Released in 2019, Jeremy’s first book, If the World Was Without Color, has sold over 500 copies and distributed to over 350 homes across the United States via Just Like Me! Box. 

Jeremy released his 6th book, The Complicated Reflections of Him in November 2023, which is his collection of 44 powerful and thought-provoking poems that primarily reflect his journey through childhood trauma to get to a place of healing and freedom.  Along with Jeremy’s book of poetry,  he additionally released a complementing journal titled The Reflections of Him. The Complicated Reflection of Him can be purchased at Spine Indie Bookstore & Cafe and all of Jeremy books can be found on Amazon.com and a host of other online platforms. 

Jeremy is also gaining traction as a spoken word artist performing at various venues and occasions throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area and abroad.  In early 2023, Jeremy released his first spoken word effort titled Forever in Love, a piece detailing his walk-through relationship and marriage. Forever in Love can be heard on all streaming platforms. In late 2023, Jeremy celebrated his first win as a spoken word artist winning first place in W.O.W’s Workshop on Wheels Spoken Word Competition.

Follow Jeremy C Watson by visiting @jeremycwatson across all social media platforms, or you can visit his website at www.jcwat.com for more information/contact.

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