In Memoriam

A feeling
Like dancing butterflies;
Leading to astounding feats
Of abdominal acrobatics.

Joy, delight,
Brave, devil-may-care face
And taking of risk
Knife in hand,
The world is my oyster.

Willingness, initiative
Drive and strength
Feeling like I can heal the world

Then, at a word,
A heedless act
Of innocent ignorance-

Spiraling, dizzying,
Heart-stopping free-fall
Into chasms of winter;
Subzero temperatures,
Walling willing tears
Behind thick palisades of ice
And heavily guarded bulwarks.

Adieu to this emotional roller coaster.
The ride stops here.
So I celebrate this mass
In memoriam of you
Elusive heart:
House of delusive visions,
Menagerie of glass figurines
Feigning the appearance of diamonds.

I stand at your graveside
In mock mourning
Over your throbbing form,
All the while knowing
You will one day rise from your sepulchre
Like some vengeful zombie;
Bent on wreaking the havoc
Or nervous euphoria
That is your design.

In regret
For the time wasted,
Not knowing how to put you to use,
Preferring to shut you away.
But in the meantime,
I will walk in free, unfeeling purity
Back turned to the headstone
Which simply reads
To my heart, in memoriam