Snukes
02-26-2005, 11:50 AM
Titles have never been my strong point, but I think they are terribly important. I haven't written poetry for years, but I fished this out of my computer this morning, and thought it might at least deserve a title. I have two in mind, but neither seems quite right, so I thought I'd ask for suggestions.
I never knew you,
But I’m angry with you.
We never went out to dinner
Or to a show.
We didn’t have class together
Or even go to the same school.
We never once sat down and made
Uncomfortable small talk.
But I saw you in a play once.
I remember you for your red hair.
I’m sure you were otherwise remarkable,
But passed time softens memory
With a haze of generality
And I’ve never had an eye
For brilliance.
You made my best friend cry.
You made a lot of people cry,
But I couldn’t understand their sorrow.
Through such a large crowd of tears
You were too distant from me.
But Carlynn is special.
Her tears caused me pain,
And the fault in her sorrow is yours.
Once, you sang Happy Birthday
To Carlynn – “in a High British dialect,”
She told me with a smile.
You and she were out of town,
Attending some enigmatic music conference –
Not a fun way to celebrate a birthday,
But your song made her day.
You brought my friend
That one brief moment of happiness
And now you’ve made her cry.
For that reason, Andy Bradley,
You had no right to die.
I never knew you,
But I’m angry with you.
We never went out to dinner
Or to a show.
We didn’t have class together
Or even go to the same school.
We never once sat down and made
Uncomfortable small talk.
But I saw you in a play once.
I remember you for your red hair.
I’m sure you were otherwise remarkable,
But passed time softens memory
With a haze of generality
And I’ve never had an eye
For brilliance.
You made my best friend cry.
You made a lot of people cry,
But I couldn’t understand their sorrow.
Through such a large crowd of tears
You were too distant from me.
But Carlynn is special.
Her tears caused me pain,
And the fault in her sorrow is yours.
Once, you sang Happy Birthday
To Carlynn – “in a High British dialect,”
She told me with a smile.
You and she were out of town,
Attending some enigmatic music conference –
Not a fun way to celebrate a birthday,
But your song made her day.
You brought my friend
That one brief moment of happiness
And now you’ve made her cry.
For that reason, Andy Bradley,
You had no right to die.