[net.poems] For Valerie

karen@amd.UUCP (Karen Bain) (03/11/85)

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***


  She carries it with her
  Like a heavy ball and chain.
  They won't let her put it down.
  So she puts on a mask-
  The smiles of slow death,
  She won't let them know.

  Every night, alone
  In the dark,
  She burries her face in a pillow of tears.
  By morning she is empty
  Just to be filled throughout the day
  With threatening tears welling up inside her.
  Damning herself, and cursing all others.

  One empty day,
  She'll drop that ball and chain,
  And slowly unmask herself.
  She finally will lay her head on a dry pillow.

  And we will be empty.

  And throughout the days
  We will be filled with her unseen tears.
  And every night, alone
  In the dark,
  We will bury our faces
  In her pillow of drenched confusion.


             -Karen Bain   3/80