On October 10, 2011, I came face to face with someone who changed my world. I am a firm believer in the effect we have on the lives of the people we cross; you can choose to be a good influence or a bad one. I hope that I have affected or will affect anyone the way he affected me.

I wrote a companion piece but…some other day.

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“Twelve [The End]”

Count backwards, see where you land–
A candle burning soft, wineglass in hand.
The whirlwind that ensued left marks unseen,
Witches and mummies and fairies roaming in a dream–
Silly me–you believe I’m prone to romantize?
No silly you, with no chance to see through my eyes.

A student I–and learned I did lessons myriad,
Vexed was I when your tutelage paused on a period!
And you wouldn’t know that failed flower,
Waiting for a blooming chance when she had power
To dazzle all along–ah, for the trickier is heartsight
Steering when Reason should have the might;
Quiet is she now, her fiery voice I cannot hear
With the knowledge that the future lingers near.

Mon ami, never be lonely or wade in nostalgia too Long
For Life is better when it hums progressively along–
Nothing forever lasts but savor the brevity of the make
Like a favored song that doesn’t stop, just fades.