Red

It had been there all along,
just below the surface,
making every corner strong,
running round in circles.

But she nearly fainted at the site of her own blood.
It had always been red, but in her head, it just felt like a deep breath.
But then it came out from that fresh-pricked spout,
and it scared her half to death.

Moving Song

(written last year when we were about to move back from Bogotá)

When I move to each new place,
I already know every friend I make
will just be a facebook friend someday.
We might not Skype, although we may.

When I pack up my bags and go
I'll leave the ones I've come to know.
We'll say we'll see each other, oh,
but we both know it's rarely so.

There are friends and those I've friended.
There are friends and friendships ended.
Every hand that is extended
will one day wave goodbye.
There are times when closeness feeds us,
then there's space that comes between us.
I don't know quite what this means, just
that I'll have to try
to open up again,
to see change as a friend,
a friend I doubt I'll ever say goodbye to.
If I ever settle down,
I bet you'll still be moving around.
At least I'll have a place to invite you.

So if I'm slow to call you friend
I don't suggest you take offense.
My heart is full of untied ends
and space I keep for keeping friends.

Or if we meet after we part
I might not know quite how to start.
Small talk's an acquired art
and I'm scared to have a heart-to-heart.

There are friends and those I've friended.
There are friends and friendships ended.
Every hand that is extended
will one day wave goodbye.
There are times when closeness feeds us,
then there's space that comes between us.
I don't know quite what this means, just
that I'll have to try
to open up again,
to see change as a friend,
a friend I doubt I'll ever say goodbye to.
If I ever settle down,
I bet you'll still be moving around.
At least I'll have a place to invite you.

When I move to each new place,
I already know every friend I make
will just be a facebook friend someday.
We might not Skype, although we may.

Give and Take For Heaven's Sake

How blessed I am to give,
how wonderful you can take.
I'm just glad someone can use
these things for heaven's sake.

Fragile (Song)

My most recent poem, Fragile, keeps coming to my mind, as do the events that the poem is based on. So I set the poem to music: