Silent having been
Brought to my
Knees by a
Crippling blow I
Remain still gathering
Thoughts and awareness
Calculating a strike
Or surrender I
Remain humble at
Last the hand
Of God turns
My head to
The heavens assuring
That this defeat
Is but one
Battle in this
Thing called life
Oh how I
Had wished and
Hoped that that
One present hidden
Way in the
Back behind the
Pretty ones beneath
The big ones
Tucked almost out
Of sight the
One that caught
The glint of
Christmas morning sun
Was mine and
Finally after an
Explosion of paper
Boxes and ribbon
Presented to me
It was and
There inside was
Your smile the
Way you look
At me when
I don’t make
Sense the sound
Of your laughter
At last knowing
That you’re mine
And your message
This morning arrived
As sweetly as
You lifting the
Covers and letting
My cold body
Snuggle up behind
You your heat
Warming me slowly
No flash fire
But rather the
Slow and quiet
Intimacy shared while
Telling secrets and
Ghost stories around
A failing bonfire
On that night
In Wyoming canyons
Do you remember
And so we
Shouted at each
Other like travelers
On opposite sides
Of a canyon
Uncertain if we
Were answering the
Other or our
Own echoes responding
Like swimmers told
To empty the
Pool we lobbed
Goodbyes never really
Intending to leave
Instead we walked
Towards each other
Across the rickety
Bridge we built
Meeting in the
Middle knowing that
We’re stronger together
Than ever apart
No poof no
Wave of a
Magic wand simply
Evaporation of an
Oasis a respite
That I discovered
While wandering alone
Choked like a
Tomato plant by
Silent creeping ivy
Left to wither
In silence while
You grow giddy
You knew all
Along and waited
Then began to
Creep leaving me
Your opportunity to
Starve
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 