TO GO BEYOND

(February 7, 1994, 11:29 p.m.)

The woman of grace

She says goodbye

She does not even touch his face.

She never regrets not looking back.

She is straight as a tree

Yet soft as a cloud-

Elusive as a whisper.

He knew her a while

He thought he knew her well

He said, "When I need her, she'll be there,

But I do not need her now-

And, see, there she stands,

Waiting for me to need her."

Meanwhile, she waits, and waits.

She says, "I'll be there for him if he needs me."

So she waits, and waits,

And wonders, "Will he ever need me? Of course he will.

If I leave him, I will die."

She waits, and she grows, then she knows,

"I need no one but my spirit.

Why do I wait, if he does not need me?

Why do I wait, if I do not need him?"

She turns and walks away.

Her eyes glow like the forest

Her face shines like the moon

Her spirit dances like a free bird.

He stands still and watches his friend

As she travels to the barren horizon,

And crosses over into the sky.

He is sorry for his desolation

Yet happy for her joy.

For she craves her peace

She needs nothing but her dignity

And a pack of possessions she carries on her back