I'm feeling those 8,481 miles more than before.
I didn't fully recognize how much I'd miss you
until you had already gotten up and left.
I find myself relaying stories about
all the funny things you've done
I miss your undeniable eccentricity,
nobody can claim that they have a friend like you.
4:40pm Texas time, 3:40am on the "treeless dune of sand".
I wonder if you're sleeping or if you're sitting up, awake,
thinking about coming home or about how your birthday
is tomorrow and you have to spend it in a country that you hate.

Sixty-five roses in a vase by a bed,
The thirtieth birthday of a loved father-head.
A foster dad, a favorite big brother, 
A good Christian man, a true and faithful warrior. 

With Cystic Fibrosis his lungs slave away, 
The Doc said he might live to his eighteenth birthday. 
His cheerful countenance is loved by all,
Many memories are made with him to recall. 

I. Bad, Bad, Bad
No, no, no, no
Not going down this road
Again
Friends are friends
It doesn’t matter
If they’re boys or girls.

II. What
Why is this jealousy
We’re not—
I’ve never even thought of you like—
Block my thoughts, don’t let them go
Any farther than they already have
“But seriously, she’s too old for you
She doesn’t even speak English,”
Laugh it off
But wow, I really don’t want you to
See this woman ever again.

The weekend of the Havenwing Ball arrived. Usually when I returned to Uncle Oruc’s and Aunt Monria’s house after school each day I took time to join my aunt for tea or, if she was otherwise engaged, took tea by myself in the library with a good book to refresh me after my day’s work.
But on the Friday before the ball I raced directly to my room, hastily changed into riding clothes, and rushed to the stables, where that morning I had left a special request with the stable master to have two horses saddled and waiting.

The next week passed quickly. My pupils were settling into their lessons quite well, and I was beginning to feel more at ease in the role of teacher. On the last day of the school week, I received my first evaluation from the school board. I had known it was coming and its approach gave me no end of anxiety, but nonetheless I was delighted to find that the board had ranked me favorably in all areas. I promptly sent their report home in a letter to my family.

Oh wait—I don’t drink coffee. And come to think of it, it wasn’t a short break, either. Hopefully I’m not the only one who’s noticed that I’ve been gone from ApricotPie for a very long time now. I promise, it wasn’t intentional. So first, a brief update on my life, and then an explanation for my absence followed by some thoughts on the future.

I. Regress
I wanted her to turn around
So I could see her face
Confirm in real life
My biggest suspicion
That she was as pretty as she looked
In his pictures
I had met her once, before all of this
She was pretty then, but I hadn’t paid this much attention
I recognized her by her red-gold hair
Neatly curled and tapering down near her waist
Her voice was sweet and smart
I wanted her to turn around
But then she followed him out the door.

Chapter Three

CAD BOLTED THROUGH THE FOREST, GLANCED BACK ONE OR TWICE. Good, Beck was still there. The arrows in Cad’s quiver jiggled and his arms ached from carrying his bow. Twice he’d tripped and fallen; the first time he had scraped his head from a holly tree and the bruised his hand on the bark of a sycamore.

it wasn't long--
maybe five or ten
minutes--
before the words
tumbling in my head
started trickling out

little pieces of
the weather,
the pulsing
in my aching feet
a trickle of something
--perhaps--
inspiration
that fragmented against
my teeth

1. Feet

Feet that move
down the path
do not think
daily about the
purpose of their
movement
until the day ends
and the tapping
of busy steps
subsides

2. Winter Walk

I. Truly
You showed me the ring
I loved the glow in your eye when you asked
If I thought she would like it
I have been dreading this day for such a long time
But now that it’s here I can’t even express
How happy and excited and elated I am for you
That diamond will look
So pretty on her finger
I can already see the light in her eyes when
You say the magic words
I will be at your wedding and I’ll watch you two
Dancing in the reception hall and I’ll know that you’ll last
Sometimes when you love someone