Goodbye still

he knew when he woke up

and reached instantly for the phone

that if there were to be words in there

they were bound to be last.

they would be words of a final goodbye,

words that could not take him out

of the bedroom

or bring her closer to him, not now,

maybe not even someday.

the words were there

and they were good to him

at the same time that they could hurt, lonely

as not having anything to hope for.

he thought about lions in Africa

and how the mother would have to

eventually watch one of her

precious cubs suddenly disappearing

into the midst of the dark waters of the river-

she knew like he knew

that the world could be cold because of love,

and because we all had to lose what we loved.

silence was a condemnation

and they both felt the weight of fate

as they turned away-

they were turning their backs on the past,

on the pride that was so desperate to be rid of them.