My words stall
And sputter like
A Cessna out
Of gas high
Over my readers
Simply gliding now
No sounds of
Engines I’m a
Bird in flight
Looking for a
Flat pasture upon
Which to land
Finding none I
Careen into trees
Destroying everything but
Now ground bound
No longer free
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
Sinking I bailed
The last of
You overboard the
Weight of you
Pulling me under
Until amidst the
Storm that what
I found myself
In was you
And rather than
Fearing my drowning
I should acquiesce
Giving myself up
To you making
Me deliciously buoyant
Today starts calm
Licking at my
Feet like a
Slow incoming tide
Tickling me with
Wonderment making me
Ask what’s in
Store like a
Late night knock
On my door
My coffee steams
Like a locomotive
Taking me to
Far off adventures
As the thought
Of you sleeping
Brings a warmth
Across me like
The sun rising
East through trees
We are limping
Wounded by the
Ravages of a
Love war walking
Back home wholly
Uncertain if home
Is the same
As we left
It battle weary
We take our
Hearts away feeling
The numbness of
Silence we never
Ended you know
Just grew quiet
Perhaps we spent
On each other
What we had
And now pick
Up the pieces
Of what we
Had long ago
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 