Carry On Tuesday's Prompt

I recently came across a blog called Carry On Tuesday that provides a poetry prompt that we are to write on and then post our response on our own blogs, and then on the Carry On Tuesday blog we provide a "Mr. Linky" back to the post of our poem.

This week's prompt came from the first words of a poem; you may view the prompt here: Carry On Tuesday Prompt #17 . The words we were to write from, in part or in whole, are: "Don't speak, words will only steal the moment." I used only the first two words in my poem which I am also taking to our local Writers' Workshop meeting tonight for feedback. It's a rather long poem for me, and it's been through three drafts, although it can probably use another draft or two.

“Don't Speak”

He bends over me,
work-rough finger against my lips.
“Don't speak,” whispers his eyes --
I take heed trustingly.
His love pleads with mine,
trying to prolong our moments –
time an elastic band that
can only stretch so far,
at its limit now.

Fifty-nine years had been ours.
As my feathery mind grasps at memories,
blurred, shadowy-sweet –
first date,
first dance,
first kiss,
proposal,
wedding,
birth of each child --
two of the four preceding me.
Joy, grief, more joy,
a life simply ordinary --
all seemed perfect
in my hazy retrospect.

My gaze sought his,
and we spoke our love wordlessly.
My fingers curled feebly around his strong hand
in these last, still moments
as the elastic finally gave
and I went onward,
Alone.

C 2009 Susanne Barrett

The formatting didn't come out quite right -- the "first date..." short lines should be indented in about fifteen spaces to the right, but otherwise, I think it came out okay. Opinions are solicited.