when she died

when she died
i made an altar to her.
i went blind
to what it really was
and kept
photos of happy times.
i put the things we shared
nearby, glass
beads from a jar.
a blouse, a scarf, a shoe.
in every room a touch stone
of our life together.
anything to keep that love
alive. her greeting cards
signed with hearts and smiles.
a bottle of her perfume,
a ring,
her books close by,
book marked with a picture of
the two of us
and underlined
to remind me of what
i felt inside.
i framed our mythical world
beside me to keep me warm
on cold nights.
it took so much time.
so many tears and pain
before i let her go,
accepting the truth of what
it really was,
and moved on with my life,
letting others in.