THATS THE WAY OF THE WORLD

suddenly and mysteriously,

at once i was no longer flailing.

the rain moved from a hum

to a hunger, it demanded

the glass open, respond, not

just stand there but do 

something. then the rain flailed

and i hummed. no hunger

here. not from within, thank god.

suddenly and mysteriously i 

recalled hunger like a favorite 

old shoe, like the lilac colored

shirt with butterflies i loved 

around age seven, when i threw

up my dinner and my parents,

still at the time i had the two,

drove me home as i wept. 

i'd ruined my favorite shirt, 

my favorite shoes. is memory

filled with ruin? and what of those

glossy sun-filled moments 

with my favorite shoes, my 

favorite butterfly bedazzled 

lilac shirt, the one my mother

pulled over my head as she said

sweetheart, do you know

you were made with so much love?

god, it would be such a shame

to say those words could ever 

find ruin. and suddenly, mysteriously

nothing was ever ruined. not even

those rhinestone butterflies. 

not even hunger has the power to hurt.