For Melissa, Today

Today was uplifting
in a quiet
winter way.

Rain coming down,
then the cold
filling up the air,

then more rain
meaningfully dropping
and finally the five minute orange

of setting sunlight,
running across concrete
building faces.

Yet another excellent hug from Caycee
after a peaceful lunch shared
in my office.

Loving, gentle laughter
in the morning before the unknown
outcomes of afternoon and evening.

Calling back
with the same breathless excitement
three times before eleven-thirty.

Each time wet with smiled promises
and a single silent wish
for, perhaps, more time.

Tonight when I fell,
I remembered the snare
set years ago in autumn.

Yet in that quiet way
of winter, today was uplifting
and I slipped away.