Writing

From past friends

or mild acquaintances

there will be times where I am not only acknowledged

but appreciated

it makes me happy

makes me content

Happiness is the feeling of summer

and sunshine on my face

it reminds me of fresh-cut grass or sand in clean sheets

but it is also the feeling of grief

I only knew her for a couple months. But the way she spoke to me, the way we talked on the phone, it wasn’t hard to grow attached.

As I swim down to the sea shore,

I saw a crab selling seashells.

I waved my tentacles and shouted:

“Oy Mate! Give me a seashell!” 

The crab sneered, “you octopus, be gone!”

Think of whispers in the shade
Picnic cloths and lemonade

Afternoons in softened light
Books that stretch long into the night

The man stopped, bending over, weeping until his tears seemed to fill a gaping hole in his heart he had not noticed was there.