portrait of a brother and sister by Arnegger‘Together’: A Poem by Margaret Coats The Society June 21, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 3 Comments . Together The windows of our dawning day_Let light in through the dew,But outdoors ambling in cool air,_I knew that I’d find you. Close comfort, venturing apart,_We played our separate games,Dreaming the dreams that draw each heart_Toward unacknowledged aims. I sailed too soon, no longer home_To go on side by side;Rarely you came to mind, Jerome,_Though I felt satisfied. Allied, aligned as with no other,_We always reconnected,But fellowship fell short, my brother;_Real friendship we neglected. We wasted opportunities,_Adrift without a fight;Imagined earth’s eternities_Might cure the oversight. They could have, for you made the move_When dimmer years had passed,That gave us twenty to improve_In pristine vistas vast. The wonder of living fidelity_Accompanied holidays;The wonder of sudden mortality_Rolled in as breathless haze. Why speak of mourning, tell how long_Regret proceeds to pray?These lips can sing a soothing song,_Making the best of a day. The windows of my after age_Invite your brightness in,Always with me to assuage_The misty clouds for kinAmbling remembrances engage._ . Margaret Coats lives in California. She holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University. She has retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 3 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson June 21, 2025 Margaret, this one surprised me with your simple heartfelt homilies emanating from your soul. It was almost like a song that I could sing along. How wonderfully framed was each verse describing your relationship with a person from your childhood from whom you grew apart going separate ways yet always was with you in a sense in your mind and especially on holidays. We all must set aside regrets as you did in your poem and in our case humming a song or listening to oldies as I do on the radio soothes us in the end. This has to be one of your best poems despite all the masterful ones you have crafted. Reply Margaret Brinton June 21, 2025 Poetry can often assuage a grief, it is true, Ms. Coats. Reply Jeremiah Johnson June 21, 2025 “Imagined earth’s eternities _Might cure the oversight.” Poignant lines – what is so often assumed and rarely the case. Though I expect that, by God’s grace, Heaven’s eternities have cured many oversights – which is an encouragement to me! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson June 21, 2025 Margaret, this one surprised me with your simple heartfelt homilies emanating from your soul. It was almost like a song that I could sing along. How wonderfully framed was each verse describing your relationship with a person from your childhood from whom you grew apart going separate ways yet always was with you in a sense in your mind and especially on holidays. We all must set aside regrets as you did in your poem and in our case humming a song or listening to oldies as I do on the radio soothes us in the end. This has to be one of your best poems despite all the masterful ones you have crafted. Reply
Jeremiah Johnson June 21, 2025 “Imagined earth’s eternities _Might cure the oversight.” Poignant lines – what is so often assumed and rarely the case. Though I expect that, by God’s grace, Heaven’s eternities have cured many oversights – which is an encouragement to me! Reply
