Acer Sacharrum

I didn’t get out of bed this morning for twenty minutes

Lying in the dark in hopeful ignorance

Then I see my mother in the hall and I’m six years old again —

She has bad news —

I think I live upon a bridge

I’m too afraid to cross.

I’ve set up camp for the time being

(Now so much time’s been lost.)

The water’s too far down to drink

And the fish are out of reach.