When I first came to town, knowing no one

I felt like that, like there was no one

Anywhere

Oh- there were faces, but

There was no one

And there are days—

I walked through the house today

Her purple plaid backpack underneath the table

Calendar on the desk

Books piled in the bookcase

And I realize it is just like before

She will be gone soon

They will all be gone

And  if you ask me

Nothing has really changed

Some things never change

I can circle these rooms

A hundred times

And nothing will change

Time can’t be spun backward

And forward again

As if by some magic turn

I could make it somehow happen

If I couldn’t then, then I surely can’t now

Melancholy, it is, especially with the rain

That consistently shows up

And the cold is really the only thing dependable

If I lived near the sun, then at least

I’d have a warm and sunny constant