THE DEATH OF ALYSSA
To say Alyssa was beautiful
Is like saying
The sky is high
The sea is big
Winter is cold
She embodied beauty
In a strange kind of way
She was not pretty
She was
Simply beautiful…
Like those stunted flowers
That grow above the tree line
Fight their way up through frozen ground
To blossom out
In a breath-taking explosion of life and beauty
A couple of inches above rock and snow
She lived her life
That way
With downcast eyes
But all knew
None were fooled
You could feel it
She was watching
She was aware
Of everything
The slow smile
A brief upwards glance
The smile spreads a little wider
“Alyssa!
Can you stop that…please?”
I heard her call
Twice
And knew
Then waited
“Hey, you know who died?”
A black explosion
In my mind
It changed
Everything
A small clip in the paper
But it is known
Everywhere
In the falling snow
In the angry
Roaring sea
In the bitter cold
All know
Alyssa is dead
I hear her
Now and again
See the slow smile
A brief glance
The smile spreads a little wider
Feel the light punch
As she leans in
She whispers words
Smiles again
Pushes me
And backs away
Fading
Gone