World 3

 The world

could end

by lunchtime, so

let this moment shine.

Let it breathe.

Whatever’s coming

will come in due time,

including, regrets, mistakes and grief,

in all their untidy dress,

complicated and deep,

feeling a lot like fear.

Lifelong friends may think enough

of each other 

to take a moment to call,

even to lie once in awhile,

as they traverse oceans and

mountains and valleys of emotion,

preparing for what must ultimately come,

with certainty that there’s another way

to be in the world,

even without a remedy for death.

Uncomfortable as it is,

afraid as we are,

we can only listen to our breath,

find a calm corner inside,

engage with the world as it is right now,

and live with an open heart.

In this way,  dawn breaks for me

as some of my friends live in twilight.

Night will come soon enough.