You can offer
A man both
Bread and water
But if he’s
Not hungry or
Thirsty he won’t
Eat or drink
That does not
Mean that you
Withdraw your generosity
The Kingdoms of
Heaven aren’t filled
With those that
Took but rather
Those that offered
Remain steadfast in
Your offers for
Leaving this world
With empty pockets
Makes for a
Lighter ascent like
A balloon freed
Of its string
Alone like the
Last remaining peony
Once a bouquet
Gathered and plucked
From a prairie
Of wild flowers
Singled out for
My splash of
This and that
Perhaps a distraction
Maybe a desire
To capture something
Wild and distinguished
But linger I
Do endure I
Must not for
Me but for
All those that
Spy upon me
We are like
Magnets sometimes fighting
To get away
While at others
So strongly attracted
That we simply
Slap against each
Other we are
Like old stale
Jokes that bring
Erupting laughter despite
Their habitual reappearance
Sometimes we’re calm
Like a Honolulu
Beach at sunrise
But mostly we’re
Like a letter
Finding its comfort
Inside its envelope
We’re not meant
To be together
Yet here we
Are always together
My dear boy
I’m simply wondering
I don’t know
Which is worse
You with a
Blank uncharted future
Awaiting your discovery
Or me a
Weary time worn
Traveler riddled with
My past memories
What I do
Know is this
To each of
Us comes the
Exact same heartache
For your heart
Is empty while
Mine is bursting
At its seams
When I hear
A favorite aria
Or watch a
Dancer express passion
Through body I’m
Reminded that beauty
And more importantly
The recognition of
Such isn’t the
Responsibility of the
Performer instead it’s
The charge of
The witness therefore
While the Universe
Created our world
It is we
And only we
That make it
Or any part
Of it beautiful
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 