THE BRIDE HE LEFT BEHIND

THE BRIDE HE LEFT BEHIND

She waited dressed in ivory,
With flowers in her hand,
She thought she heard his footsteps,
But silence filled the land.

The candles burned themselves away,
The organ ceased its song,
The guests looked down upon the floor,
They knew something was wrong.

Her father touched her shaking arm,
And begged her not to cry,
She smiled as if her heart still lived,
While something deep did die.

A letter waited by the door,
With only seven lines,
He said his love had disappeared,
Like grapes upon dead vines.

She read it once, she read it twice,
Then tore it through the rain,
But every word stayed in her heart,
And carved his name in pain.

Her veil lay drowning on the steps,
Her roses lost their red,
She wore the dress meant for their life,
And mourned a love gone dead.

The church bell rang for no one,
Its echo crossed the sky,
She looked towards the empty road,
Still asking herself why.

She did not curse or scream his name,
She simply walked away,
Dragging broken promises,
Behind her through the grey.

For years she kept that wedding dress,
Inside a wooden chest,
Beside the heart he ruined,
And the dreams he laid to rest.

Sometimes she wears the veil at night,
When loneliness appears,
And dances with the man she loved,
Behind a wall of tears.