He’s now become 
a harbinger a
bellwether a barometer 
a faint light 
on the mountaintop 
signaling a danger 
a keep away 
sign don’t touch 
at first I
thought maybe jealousy 
or even envy 
but no it’s 
something else entirely 
concern and care
is his intention 
and now whereas
before I was 
the one holding 
the lantern low
showing him where 
to slowly step 
he has taken 
point showing me 

Obviously I mean 
much to him
even during his 
darkness he reached 
out to me 
like a ghost 
telling me things 
and warning me 
of the doom
funny all this 
now after meeting 
again and discovering 
that we each
fought our own 
battles in the 
exact same war
on different fronts 
both emerging victorious 
from the dust
of what we 
once had been 

I’d like company 
now I think 
having for so
long stood on 
top of the 
same craggy cliff 
sending my light 
through haze fog
mist and darkness 
showing others their 
way safely home 
I think that 
I’d like company 
something like me 
let’s start small 
how about fireflies 
they are silly 
little things dancing 
about giving little 
light to anyone 
but joy and 
glee to everyone 

He lays sleeping 
a different sleep 
now after the 
battles of past
a warriors sleep 
a weary sleep 
a deep sleep 
where even the 
soul slumbers and 
the heart dreams 
of what’s next 
but the body 
says but let’s 
all just rest
peacefully for now 

When you need 
someone you’ll take 
anyone when you 
want someone well 
then that’s different 
wanting affords perspective 
you might look 
for something that 
fits or maybe 
something that doesn’t 
but you know 
you always know 
who won’t work 
and who might 
which is different 
from a one 
size fits all
off of the 
sales final rack