THE END OF THE LINE

 

I left the land of the living

to ask of time a favor and

reclaim a piece I left behind.

 

May you take me back to the day

they said, so suddenly, they no

longer wanted to be my friend?

 

You know you must relive it all–

their eyes, their laughs, the ache you felt

from the day that never ended. 

 

With a nod, I was back once more

to the mundane beginnings of 

the morning and slow classes, that

 

changed when I entered those doors to

the scene engraved in my head of

the day I left my trust behind. 

 

RING

 

His ring, now mine          round and gold

loose on my fingers          for fifteen dollars;

a chain for sixty          much for charity

for fear of fraud          fifteen was plenty.

 

No French, English,          no fear, my brother,

money for gas           gold ring and necklace.

Wallet was plundered           with places to be,

wife and daughter          behind, woeful, wealthy.

 

A biblical trial         to fail or to pass:

a man in need           with means to help,

strike me down          sixty’s too much

for my brother          or for my burglar.