Eyes That Shine And Love That Binds

[I wrote this a few years ago, it's quite different from my normal poetry, it's more in story form, but I figured I'd share it. Adoption is a common thing, and a lot of people have the same feelings and emotions I write about in here... maybe it'll help someone.]

Eyes That Shine and Love That Binds

She asks him, “What does he look like?” He hangs his head and a silent tear falls from his eye. “They said he was blonde & blue, just like you are.” She says, You really should’ve told me this a long time ago!” Then he says, “He was also adopted, and it’s said he felt he’d be better off had he been told later in his life.”

“So what else have you hidden from me all these years?” she asked.

He slowly shakes his head no, and mumbles something about telling her that “this would happen sooner or later. “Did he ever look for me?” she asked. He told her, “That would have been impossible. Your name and even your birth date were changed – that’s what the lawyers told us to do.” She replied, “Goddamned lawyers. I hate them! Fuck lawyers! Fuck them with a…” He interrupted and reminded her that just because she was 18, she still shouldn’t have a mouth like that. She laughs a bit, then her eyes fill up again as she began to speak. “I hope you’re aware that it’s going to take years to get over this and to trust you again.”

He rests his head in his hands and sighs deeply, holding back the all-too-familiar desperate pain and helplessness he feels.

Across the miles, another silent tear falls unseen.

“What’s wrong, Daddy?” she asks… she always seems to know when he’s sad or upset.

He hesitates, and tries to swallow the lump of loneliness in his throat. “I’m just a little upset tonight, sweetie. It’s nothing to worry about.”

She puts her hand on his cheek like she has done since she was three, and says “I love you Daddy.” He takes a shaky deep breath and says softly “I love you too, my little angel…” and another silent tear falls across the miles.

Somewhere between the miles, the phone rings. She knows it’s him before it even rings a second time. He anxiously waits on the phone ringing to hear her soft, sweet voice to appear on the other end of the line… he smiles as she answers the phone, and calm comes over him, which always comes over him as soon as he hears her voice.

On the way between the miles, he picks up his pen and begins writing, just whatever comes out, and another silent tear falls onto an aching heart, across the miles.

Some say silent tears are forever.

I may sadly find that out on my own...

I may never get to know you

Yet my love for you still grows

And if I have to go away

To places no one knows

And if no one’s there to catch your tear

And you think you’re left alone

Just look inside your heart my love

I’ve been there all along.

For Christine Marie Piazza aka Margaret Krystal

By Robert F. Piazza, Sr.

4/10/2005