Stare

Stare at the white board

See letters

A… B…

See colored plastic letters

Remember nothing

See them

You are a world of fantasy

You child

See crying crying now

Be crying

And laugh then whirl

Picked up in another pair of arms

Held warm

Held close

Warm as wrapped in a towel

Warm before bed at bedtime

See seeing

See springtime

See green leaves each morning

See school now

See home now

Your world is the world

See game time

See playtime

Till moonlight and fireflies

Die captured in glass jars

With holes punched in lids

Come innocent summer

Alone in your room now

The days in their passing

Are endless in number

When weeping was weeping

And laughter was total

I send you a searchlight

And echo – your future

When leaves turn to falling

I’ll find you

I’ll find you

I’ll hold you

I’ll know you

But you’ll look upon me

And not recognize me

Just curious, gazing

A moment

Then gone

The playground

Surrounded

A chain link fence prison

That keeps you in capture

That keeps us apart

Stare

Stare at the white board

Stare

See faces from your childhood

What was your first, your earliest memory?

And when did you notice

You first notice you?

Which moment riding on your bicycle

On stage in the school play

Or playing with your best friend

Did you see that inside

Inside

In here, you were all alone?

        MTZ

9/19/01