When Faith and Memory Are Not Enough

When Faith and Memory Are Not Enough

"I miss him."
he said
Simple, undecorated grief
Stripped of brave
rationalization,
Tears shining in starlight.

No help
from the faith
of reunion
beyond.

Here and now
He is gone,
Beyond touch,
sight,
or even
the electronic pathways
we have laid
to cover vast distances.

Nor is memory
of any real help.
yet.

Later,
perhaps it will stretch
a bridge
to a smile.
echo of a joke,
a shared misadventure
a bear hug
The footing
back along those shared paths
made comfortable with time.

But now
Those images
are not strong enough
Nor can they reach across
the chasm
Stepping out on them
is treacherous
and will be
for a time

Now he must
allow
the simple grief
Tears under stars.
Missing the solid
real
Flesh
and blood.