The Other Side of Loss

The Other Side of Loss

Struggling with such determination…

I refuse to give in.  Refuse to let go.  Summer’s sweet iridescent waftings….

Of wild pink tourmaline roses I follow---

To find my childhood tree house-   are gone.

The new winter air is skeleton steel horizons.  No shadows cast!

From the wise old oak, as golden sunshine’s hidden…

Beyond bubble-gray sheets of low-lying sky.  On and on.  Betrayed.  Now?

And how will I find my way?  With no breath

Of high summer left?  I must wait –

‘Til gracious full moon nightfall… to pray the diamond stars will not forget-

To shine.  To bring me home.

(I have a sudden dream of you,

But you look different.  The only way I know

It’s you is that I am so young.  I believe I am innocent.

You are fact-checking my life-statistics, man,

Like a story you may or may not print?

Your hair is wavy black, your eyes the fairest blue,

“I love you,” I say proudly.  “We should love

Hour by hour.  Then our love will last.”

Still you are gone.  When I open my eyes.)

                                                                                    

The great stone angel at Bethesda Fountain is naked,

But for the territorial pigeons, and the compassionate gaze

She shares with us no matter the holograph-season.  New Year’s tourists chirp in Italian

French, Spanish… where silent cameras feign to capture The Present –

Which is against The Law!  Of Nature.  Why must this (New Year’s) day disturb

My soulful resolutions?  For happiness, joy and laughter?

Be gone! You hungry ghosts!  Be gone! You New Age stealers!

When a startling rush of amber-gold leaves, among the last to let go…

Dance their jig-saw tumble-way to Earth.  Each one-

Bringing a fortune cookie’s worth of yummy hidden treasure…

Surround me, demanding with their glorious rushes my full attention!

To tickle my fancy where once again I feel so presently grateful

For this extra day the Goddess gives.  Just for appreciation –

Just for the warm body under my skins to enjoy!

So your mama told me you were determined to stay up til midnight -

To straddle the old and new, to see exactly what it is like to defy gravity!

I understand you did, bright child, and said, “It’s just the same!”

I’m so thrilled you are here to reveal the secrets of youth –

Which we may all possess if we’re willing to play

With time and rainbows and visiting unicorns… and sleep

With friendly green dragons.  Just like you do.

                                                                                                                
Your very own cherry.  1/sweet/16