perhaps some residue
from a time
perhaps a lifetime
when you felt
hampered
wounded
weakened
not what something within you said you should be
it is not up to you
the truthfulness of your heart
all you can do is foster it
impede it.
You still have a choice.
You can say "no" some days
you can say "yes" some days
I have known you to say
"yes"
beautifully"
-- Ralph Cherubini
I just received a note from Ralph's daughter, telling me that he passed away in November of cancer. I am sad. He was very kind to me twenty years ago, when I was a college senior, just starting to write poetry and rather terrified of the whole endeavor. He wrote this for me, and I have always cherished it. I wanted to give it to all of you now. A reminder.