SOMETHING OF QUIETNESS AND VALUE

I Love You

What was the use of saving pennies

one or two at a time

gained

by bargaining with the grocer

by bargaining with the butcher

by bargaining with the vegetable grower

She stood by the window watching a gray cat

walking on a gray fence

in a gray backyard

She looked into the pier glass

seeing herself

broken into long pieces

trying to figure out how to stretch $1.87

into something fine

something rare, something sterling

something properly proclaiming

its value by substance alone

and not by useless ornamentation

Something like her Jim

something of quietness and value

One moment she was shining

full of energy, full of plans

One moment shining, then despair

She took the comb holding back

a cascade of brown hair

now falling like water

below her knees

She put on her old brown jacket

she put on her old brown hat

A tear splashed her cheek

as she rushed downstairs

out into the street

For $20 she sold her hair

He looked at the pocket watch on the sly

ashamed that someone may see

the worn leather strap where a chain should be

Without gloves his hands were cold

inside the pockets of his overcoat with holes

He traded the watch

for two combs for her hair

Nothing ostentatious, not really plain

she gave him a perfect platinum watch chain

Based on O. Henry’s story “Gift of the Magi” Project Gutenberg Ebook

Oh, this story makes me sad. Yes. They both sacrificed something rare, to carry on a tradition of giving, of expectation. Why must gifts be so costly? Why do we let traditions separate us from the love that is already there? It is not things we want. It is love, a walk while holding-hands; sitting together talking or just being there. It is not cars, nor watches, nor vacations – we want honest communication. We want to go past infatuation, past traditions handed down. We want to go into the future knowing, as much as we can, that we go there together. It takes growing up to grow together; putting away what we’ve been taught of how life should be. Then, we can grow into each other and see the true needs.

ART: LJ Austin "That Look" 2022