June 13-15, 2019

I encountered him

he whose book is lighter than air

a year or two ago

and felt myself changing

trying to do what he does

in my same-but-different way

Some

may call me

culturally inappropriate

but

I see it more as

“I didn’t know you could do that!”

than

“I’m going to pretend to be that!”

I could never be him

I am not him

I have not lived his life

I merely appreciate his gift

his too rare gift

as a student before his master

would follow his master’s step

Others have I also found

He who walked the road less travelled

She who could not stop for Death

He who sang and danced before his God

I am not them

cannot be them

yet in some small way

I am their echo

for even here

in my wavering dark

some glimmer of their brilliance

illumes my soul

I am the better for them

In case you’re wondering:

“he whose book is lighter than air” – Rudy Francisco

“He who walked the road less travelled” – Robert Frost

“She who could not stop for Death” – Emily Dickinson

“He who sang and danced before his God” – David, King of Israel