When I saw you with my own eyes
I thought they must deceive me like
The desert vagabond traveling too far
On his faith and finding the pool which
Isn’t ever there. I looked again to try
And understand. You may learn that I
Often try too hard at this overrated
Concept assimilation. Teach me, I pray,
To take my life less seriously and show
Me how to talk with you, not to you –
For, at the very least, I do know there
Is a difference. You are traveling
Homeward this day and I wish you well
Wondering what kind of impression presses
In your mind of our first, too brief
Reunion. If only you knew the impact
Of your equally engaging eyes and quiet,
Determined, assured smile, then perhaps
I would not suppose to be so shy around
You and your influence. If only you did
know, and if only you were given the
Chance to know me better. For I am sure
Enough of myself at least to participate
In these slightly remembered rituals. It
May have been too long I have been gone,
Though I know what I saw, and despite other
Experience I do still trust my heart. It
Is simply a matter if I have, in past,
Chosen to take the time to listen clearly
To all it has had to share with me. Others
Too well know the answer, and I humbly
Answer to and accept their verdict. Still
It sounds silly and perhaps trite, but trust
What you believe to trust, and, of the little
We’ve shared, I believe that the road will
Lead you where you, even now, may not yet
Know where you wish it to lead. My fault,
As has been proven in past beyond reasonable
Doubt, is the trust (faith) I continue to
Place in matters of these same sort. I lay
This to you and will see it through, though
The definitive evades recognition. Take
Your time, and do not fault me, please, if
I take too much of mine. But recognize what
I wish to say in these words that I always
Turn about to say in twenty what I cannot
Say in one. Face to face we’ll meet again.
Slowly. Sweetly. Simply. Serenity.
-Dakin 9/15/95
