you turned around and walked away
not a word of explanation
no hasty letter of farewell
four years and i knew nothing
your father’s hair turned white
your mother couldn’t smile
and you wonder why i’m angry?
tears welled up in her swampy eyes
wound paths through her freckles
white face reddened, impassioned
you wonder why he hates you?
you might have been dead
but you weren’t — just selfish
something like that is unforgivable
her shoulders heaved with sobs
he stood there quietly, watching
wondering if words were worthwhile
here was the third face of the pyramid
the heartbreak he’d never faced
this was really her —
he’d always truly been himself
though the first man had usurped
the weeping prophet for a while
she’d borne good news upon him
yet he’d extinguished her light
he couldn’t form words he didn’t know
reaching out a tentative hand
he caught a tear from her cheek
and watched it shining
in the dying sun’s embers
