you thief
who stole my
simple dreams and
hopes
and dashed them
to pieces on the floor of our lives
while I watched
helpless in my efforts
to save them

you stole a piece of
my life and
ran away a
thief in the night
who kept looking over
his shoulder to see
if he’s been caught

the difference here
is this thief has
no profit
because we both
end up
empty handed

Pat for kjm
April 12, 1986