Month: July 2002

Rache

“Now I pass beyond these gates of time.”

Those were the last words of Elizabeth Rachel LeMontre. It was another fifteen minutes before she died, but she didn’t say anything after that. I think she wanted to have famous last words, and those were the best she could think of, so she didn’t say anything after that.

After she stopped breathing, I really wasn’t sure what to do. I had never seen anyone die before. I really wasn’t sure how you could tell. Her eyes were already closed, so I didn’t have to put nickels on them or anything.

“Rache?” I said. “Rache.” I stood up and touched her arm. “Rache?” Continue reading “Rache”

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9

You Awake My Soul

I sought the Lord and He answered me
In the highest heavens
I sought the Lord and He answered me
From His holy hill
I sought the Lord and He answered me
In His sanctuary
I sought the Lord and He answered me
When my heart was still

(And the chorus goes:)
You awake my soul when You answer me
You turn my tears into laughter
You awake my soul when You answer me
And all my sicknesses are healed
You awake my soul when You answer me
You turn my sorrows into dancing
You awake my soul when You answer me
When my heart is still

(Back to the verse:)
I sought the Lord and He answered me
In the midst of all my enemies
I sought the Lord and He answered me
In my valley’s deepest darkness
I sought the Lord and He answered me
At the end of all my options
I sought the Lord and He answered me
When my heart was still

All the Beautiful People

How do you describe that moment
once every third lifetime
when you see them all at once
all the beautiful people

They come pouring in in droves
and every familiar face
is the one you see
You take a breath and wonder
why you’ve never seen behind
your neighbor’s eyes before

They shine at you like mercy
And every gesture speaks of grace
His one good arm holds up a sign
As you approach him

Pardon me brother
I don’t believe I caught your name?

He doesn’t know you
or why you’re here
or what you want from him
He takes a second glance
and shies away

If Life Were Perfect

I would set up residence
In the furthest corner of a large bookstore
and read
Great anthologies of anecdotes, like
The Encyclopedia of Urban Legends or
Isaac Asimov Laughs again,
from cover to cover
Pausing for intermittent breaks
of Coffee, Chai Tea, and Biscotti…
But life is not perfect.

And until then, I must
live in my room, on sidewalk benches
at dining hall tables, alone
Clutching dusty tomes of great works
reading little pieces of them, in spurts and fits
Telling the people who already know
just what I gained from this