He reminded me recently
(whomever it was he was to
me) of the time he taunted me,

When I talked back and said, "You can't
take anything from me that I
won't give you." He paused then and said,

"You are right. You should be dead but
life sees something in you." I said,
"Fine. I see something in it too."

And then of course he thought better
of harsh words, apologized. Six
decades passed and he said to me,

Looking at me as a puzzle
which he often did, "Did you know
you once stopped breathing and we thought

You were gone, but darn it if you
didn't just start breathing again!"
I had not heard the story and

Thought it such an odd thing to say.
But we also spoke of other
oddities that day, and he was

Older now. There is no one I
loved more, other than my own child.
Now there is no question he loves

Me true , though from so far away.
That question settled, so many
more arise. They just keep breathing—

As if to stay alive I must 
look them in the eye. But I am
tired and wish instead to set them

Free as I have set myself free
before in time, trusting this life
to reveal what it will as I

Bring love to all that stirs inside.
What this day brings I do not know,
but I will choose to stay alive.