he told me it was over today
and the first thoughts in my mind
were not of him
they were not even of the hurt
these thoughts were of the past
of the last days of summer
years ago in my boyhood
in those days
I tried so hard to make the days last
even though
I could not stop them from getting shorter
I thought of how I would try
to make every ice cream cone last
for more than ten minutes
I thought of how I tried
to stretch every ball game
to last as long as I could
and all this because
I didn't want to lose those times
those days of freedom, of fun
those times I hold so close to me
but I did not love them less
because I could not keep them
so I told him this
I told him that I loved him
and that he would be missed
I told him that I wished him the best
and all the happiness of life
and now, some time later
even though we are still apart
I find I still love him
even though I could not keep him
like the summer days of long ago

[circa 1995]