Bridges

They explored the bridges
of Madison County and each other,
body and soul, to a soundtrack of crickets,
rustling wheat fields, tyres on dusty roads,
and jazz. Days were filled with sunlight,
longing and an evening of candlelight.

Heaven’s persuasion in a bullying downpour
drew her eyes to the truck,
cross swinging from the rear-view mirror,
the man who wanted her so much,
she dropped her grocery bag
and leaped out of the trusty pick-up,

braved the weight of summer rain,
and crossed the final bridge
of uncertainty, to a life
making memories and photographs
that wouldn’t be hidden
in a cardboard carton.

Kim M. Russell, 4th June 2019

My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Out of Standard: This is the end?

Izy’s back with a challenge to shake us out of the ordinary. She says that, from time to time, we fall in love with a great story, but the ending just doesn’t satisfy us, which is why she has challenged us to create poems that rewrite endings that have let us down. They can be from books, songs, video games, TV shows, movies, or any other medium, but they must be newly written and give the endings we wanted them to have.

22 thoughts on “Bridges”

    1. The book and the film are wonderful – both David and I cried every tiem we’ve watched it. I haven’t seen the musical – I don’t like musicals.

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  8. Just saw this musical in NJ – a great professional show – and I can only say if she had left her family for her soul-mate (the photographer) the kids would not have turned out well at all – and her husband wasn’t a bad guy – just not the great love of her life. It was a show that really affected me – Powerful. I never read the book nor saw the movie (I LOVE musicals) Anyway, it was very sad, her giving him up for her family, which she did love as well… I enjoyed your poem and of course, I can see why one yearned for this ending – I did too in a way – but in the end she would have been miserable seeing her kids not turn out well at all…

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    1. Thank you, Margaret. I knew there was a musical, but it has never come to the UK. I’ve only seen the film, which focused on the brief affair and didn’t really reveal much about the family. I’m going to get a copy of the book to find out more.

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