Three months
three months he'd said
I'll give you three months
was it a gift?
I'll give you three months
was it a gift?
in that time
in your body
everything will
gradually
collapse he'd said
gradually
collapse
in your body
everything will
gradually
collapse he'd said
gradually
collapse
it will be painful
he'd said
but we can help
with drugs
for the pain
he'd said
but we can help
with drugs
for the pain
but they won't cure you
he'd said
there is no cure
he'd said
there is no cure
and her world stopped
and turned into a great void
where nobody could follow her
all the places that she knew
had disappeared
all the people that she knew
were distant memories
and turned into a great void
where nobody could follow her
all the places that she knew
had disappeared
all the people that she knew
were distant memories
and she cried
and then she set to visit
all the people that she knew
one more time
and then she set to visit
all the people that she knew
one more time
-o-
Unseeing eyes
he looked at her
with unseeing eyes
her features
beyond recognition
beyond comprehension
with unseeing eyes
her features
beyond recognition
beyond comprehension
he heard her
he heard her sounds
but didn’t hear their meaning
didn’t understand
he heard her sounds
but didn’t hear their meaning
didn’t understand
he meant to ask her but
the noise from his vocal cords
had nothing to do with
what he wanted to say
the noise from his vocal cords
had nothing to do with
what he wanted to say
he looked at her again
with unseeing eyes
and sighed
with unseeing eyes
and sighed
she looked at him
her eyes clouded with love
and tears
what she saw
and what she remembered
were not the same at all
her eyes clouded with love
and tears
what she saw
and what she remembered
were not the same at all
she spoke to him
upbeat and reassuring
against the odds
but his eyes did not betray
he knew
that she had spoken
upbeat and reassuring
against the odds
but his eyes did not betray
he knew
that she had spoken
she listened to him
but his sounds
did not carry any language
but his sounds
did not carry any language
again he looked at her
his eyes clouded with love
and tears
and he sighed
his eyes clouded with love
and tears
and he sighed
and somehow
his love
and her love
were the same
love
and she took his hand
and he smiled
his love
and her love
were the same
love
and she took his hand
and he smiled
-o-
Sunset
his arms around his legs
his chin upon his knees
he stared at clouds on the horizon
precisely where the sun was going down
his chin upon his knees
he stared at clouds on the horizon
precisely where the sun was going down
in reflections of light his life
meandered through his mind
the light
slowly
grew lighter and whiter and
the colours faded away
meandered through his mind
the light
slowly
grew lighter and whiter and
the colours faded away
the echoes of his countless conversations
came round and round as in a vortex in slow motion
their meanings but a memory
came round and round as in a vortex in slow motion
their meanings but a memory
his lasting love
the love that he had given
the love he had received
warmed his heart until
it was all that he could feel
the love that he had given
the love he had received
warmed his heart until
it was all that he could feel
the beach was still
the sea, the surf was slowing down and
as if it were a mirror the water ceased to move
the sea, the surf was slowing down and
as if it were a mirror the water ceased to move
a bright ray of blood-red light
escaped between the clouds and the horizon
and struck his face
escaped between the clouds and the horizon
and struck his face
his eyes were closed
his heartbeat was too faint
to be real and
as if he were a sculpture
he had ceased
to breathe
his heartbeat was too faint
to be real and
as if he were a sculpture
he had ceased
to breathe
-o-
She is not there
weaving in and out of
a labyrinth of faces
frantically searching for
her
a labyrinth of faces
frantically searching for
her
pushing his way
through throngs of people
who look like her
who speak like her
who act like her but
who are just perfect strangers
through throngs of people
who look like her
who speak like her
who act like her but
who are just perfect strangers
panicking
he begs for help
but no one hears him
no one sees his plight
he begs for help
but no one hears him
no one sees his plight
his legs give in
they slowly fade away
until he's kneeling on the ground
they slowly fade away
until he's kneeling on the ground
his memory gives in
and he remembers
he remembers
she is no longer there
and he remembers
he remembers
she is no longer there
and a stillness descends
upon him
and slowly
very slowly
her image fills his heart
her beauty
her joy
her love
upon him
and slowly
very slowly
her image fills his heart
her beauty
her joy
her love
and he remembers
he remembers
she'll always be there
he remembers
she'll always be there
-o-
Parting
why
my love
must we face the
cruel agony of parting
my love
must we face the
cruel agony of parting
why
my love
if we have always known
our paths run side by side
only
for a while
my love
if we have always known
our paths run side by side
only
for a while
why
my love
if the day to
say goodbye
has always been
our destiny
my love
if the day to
say goodbye
has always been
our destiny
and now you're gone
no drum-roll
no majestic moment
just a shimmer of a smile
and now
my love
you're gone
no majestic moment
just a shimmer of a smile
and now
my love
you're gone
and your legacy feels
like a void
like I am left alone
and nothing can replace you
like a void
like I am left alone
and nothing can replace you
but slowly
my love
that void is being filled
with memories
with happiness
and I know
you've never left
my love
that void is being filled
with memories
with happiness
and I know
you've never left
-o-
Farewell
one single leaf
is all
that she has left
is all
that she has left
its skin
a flaming red and gold
jubilant memory of
summer
a flaming red and gold
jubilant memory of
summer
its voice
a fragile whisper
remaining trace
of a rustling dance
in the breeze
a fragile whisper
remaining trace
of a rustling dance
in the breeze
this single leaf
is resting
without weight
on the palm of her hand
is resting
without weight
on the palm of her hand
carefully
she coops her hands
protects it from the wind
she coops her hands
protects it from the wind
and she listens
she listens till
the whispering voice has
faded into silence
she listens till
the whispering voice has
faded into silence
she opens her hands and
the gold has disappeared
the leaf has ceased to exist
and dust is all that's left
the gold has disappeared
the leaf has ceased to exist
and dust is all that's left
as if presenting an offering
she raises her hands to her mouth
and blows
she raises her hands to her mouth
and blows
and gradually
the memory of
the jubilant summer
fills her heart
the memory of
the jubilant summer
fills her heart
-o-