5/18/2004

After
thirty-five years
of
ring around the rose tree
she is gone
and
despite our differences
a hole
has been kicked
in my stomach
by her disappearance
what's in the cards
my teacher said
that
we must endure
continuing to become
who
in the beginning
we pretend to be
on our way
vanishing at last
into
the ungraspable.