The could-have-been preacher,

He gave me his bible...

Map of a plan of a means of survival...

The blueprint that brought him his very salvation,

A bullet that fought & then buried his patron -

That bible:

it could have been deadly damnation.

But though I was wounded

the poison was slow...

He felt my pain

before I felt the blow...

Shedding tears of regret

for the lover he'd lost...

I was dying inside

while he wept at the cost...

But to die in his arms

was beyond unacceptable…

For though he’d been wrong

& frankly unethical…

The man shared his heart

just as my heart was breaking…

The myth fell apart as new bonds were making

my shock turn to doubt

which then ended our sentence…

We talked & turned out

Because I saw his penance.

JUNE 4, 2006

For Jeremy,

I’m grateful that boys do sometimes cry;

Your tears saved me the horror of having to say goodbye.