That First Love

I remember when you sat
at the desk at 5am or so
and I half asleep looked over
at the furiousness of your pace
with pen in hand
writing down every feeling thought image
desire and dream that came
rushing gushing out from the
deep waters of your soul
up to your brain heart and then
through your poet's hands
and I was awakened by that spirit
that could not be contained
that I did not appreciate
and looked upon with disdain
and now thirty years later or so
I reach out to your memory
and wonder where you are
and what happened to that brilliant
star in the sky that I knew your mind to be
and I wonder if you are even still alive
and if you even remember me
and if you ever forgave me
for joining hands with you on a path
we were destined not to complete
and for loving you ever so deeply
so richly and then so
cruelly harshly
letting you go.

February 2000
Chicago