On the brink of midnight last night
I bent and kissed her one last time
and closed the door on so much
I had come to think I needed.
One last evening of feelings and sharing,
of honesty and passion.
Parting, we would remain friends and lovers
until the last moment.
To say that I learned much from her
would be a profound understatement.
She drove me to both ends
of my passion and pain.
She opened my heart
and drove humility through me
like a stake.
In the end, I believed her every word
and felt only sadness, not anger.
Only that I had been more deeply touched
by her love than hurt.
She's been there, herself,
to the end of reason and passion.
She stands testament to our ability
to survive these things.
She, and others like her,
burning their passion for love like flames
move without fear
into the darkness of their futures.
She took my hand and led me out to that naked edge
and told me then
that we must each risk everything we have
and do it alone.
Today, I am alone, but I am not the same
as she found me.
gallagher
10 dec 85
— Copyright 1965-2008 by Dennis Gallagher —