12/21/2003

It happened
in the time
it took
to look away
at the black cloud
of birds
crossing the sky
and back.
For two decades
they were best friends
then
one realized
the ambition of
the other
was too profound
to ignore
and
at odds with
his own relinquishing
of similar effort
while the other
saw
that where
there was once
open discourse
now
there is
a thin layer
of judgment
to bridge
no reason given.
On
good terms still
each other’s well being
a matter of
mutual concern
something is dead
that may never
be resurrected
one of those lives
that simply passes away.