The last letter sat untouched
By the desk next to the fire
I’d never read it, or opened the flap
I just watched the flames rise higher
I knew what the note would say
And how badly it made my stomach churn
I wanted to get angry, get mad
I wanted to watch that letter burn
But that was the last letter
The only one there would be
How awful it was, to tell me this way
To drown me in grief an endless sea
The last letter sat on the edge
Of the mahogany desk by the clock
I counted the seconds to minuets
Wondering when the torture would stop
And how could one be so cruel
Not to tell me face to face
Not to let me get my feelings out
Not to let my heart run a race
I took a deep breath and stared
At the lonely white envelope
Sitting so still, so patient
It made me want to choke
Of course this would be it
The final moment of fear
I walked up panicking to the letter
And knew the end was near
My shaking hands removed it
From the seal with which it was hidden
How far, how long it must’ve traveled
How long, how far it must’ve ridden
I slowly read the letter
And tried to think of the words as a joke; a game
But later, I was honest with myself
My life would never be the same
I threw it into the fire
And indeed felt my stomach churn
As the angry scribbles faded into smoke
I watched the last letter burn