Minutes, hours, days, months
Time moves forward in the world
In the lives of friends and family
And even in our lives
For some it is September 2, 2002
For us, it is four months and 9 days
For many, it is the day before 6th grade
“J- Back to school 1st Grade!”
Proclaims the calendar to my right
Written before time crushed us
We aren’t scurrying about today
To get you ready for school
We have seen the ads for “back to school”
And haven’t gone to buy any supplies
We are planning to install some bus benches
At your stop
Benches we will never sit on with you
And time moves
Time moves
And the only moment that holds any real possibility
Any peace
Is this one
And this one
And this one
Sometimes this one is despair, too
And agony
And death
Never has the present been so total
So needed
Than now
Now that you are no longer here
So I breathe
And gently bring my hurt heart back
Again and again

September 2, 2002

© 2002 Mychael McNeeley