A cold thrilling sensation
Rushed up his spine.
His eyes focused,
Finally, on the photographs.

In the golden light, with wisps of
breeze fluttering the curtains,
he sat riveted, unblinking,
devastated.  The pictures
didn’t lie.

Thoughts of her passion-filled gaze,
her unremitting progressive politics,
her peculiar sense of humor, and
how she glowed after a shower.

How she was quick to flirt, but stayed
close at parties.  How she laughed
knowingly when she had had one too many.
How she had taken over his heart, with him
All too eager to please her.

It was gone now.  All of it.  No more
catches of her laughter from the kitchen,
no more discussions into the night about
the fate of the country.  No more of her
alluring, enchanting love.  

Just **** – and a lesson finally learned.