I had to let go,
Happy endings, didn't mean anything anymore,
Ten letters from him, saying goodbye,
I stopped writing after the ninth.

Now here I sat behind a glass,
As memories loomed over him like a cloak,
Strapped by tendrils of death,
He looked the same as he did years go.

He looked different now, but still the same,
Fifteen years in the past, but still held my heart,
Even though I refused to visit,
His love flowed stronger than guilt.

I knew from the start this was wrong,
But I listened to my heart, and we grew strong,
Consequences awaited me at the end,
Like humanity; the heir of the original sin.

The execution chamber remained silent,
But my heart was going through emotional violence,
Memories flashed in my head, of us together,
Interrupted by a voice on the speaker:

"You are permitted to make your final statement."
"Thank you for loving a monster like me"he said
"I don't deserve your love, but if we meet in another life,
it would be a pleasure to die in your arms."

He sighed, a sad sigh, filled with acceptance and peace,
And looked in my eyes and whispered his last emotion,
My head started spinning, as second faded into minutes,
But I had to do this, see him leave the world as a being loved, not hated.

The skin I felt so long before, was pierced by a needle,
the kind of needle we were afraid of as kids,
Several minutes later he took his last breath,
And a part of me died with him.

In Shediac
The sidewalk threads up Main,
Past Church and hospital
To a yellow-frame;
Where wishes and the real world meet
Near Leger Street.

Here,
Quiet evening stairs leave cares,
And blueberries, dahlias and Parley's foam,
Like Sirens call our thoughts to home.
A quilt work of faces,
Some young, some grown,
Looked through windows to a time unknown,
Past the ledger of Grand-mere,
Past Hector's chair.

Though
Emilie was consumed with cooking,
Quilting, cleaning and sometimes singing,
She fed the dreams of her dear born,
And sheltered concerns of a heart well-worn,
Like a wrap-a-round porch in a Northumberland storm,
On Main Street.

These
Porch steps led to worldly affairs,
Finance, healthcare, CN, shopwares.
Each step, each child bore Emilie's breath,
Et dans l'eglise St. Joseph.

But
Bricks are brittle and paint will wane,
A picture or poem will fade and stain,
Yet Sirens still call out your name
In Shediac.

I won the race,
  tail me.
I lost my balance,
Don't right me.

I won second place,
  bewail me.
I lost the toss,
Don't kite me.

I won the ribbon,
  impale me.
I lost my cool,
Don't ice me.

I won the job,
  avail me.
I lost the argument,
Don't cite me.

I won the bid,
  assail me.
I lost the battle,
Don't fight me.

I won the vote,
  hail me.
I lost the my way,
Don't slight me.

I won the lottery,
  blackmail me.
I lost some will,
Tread lightly.

I won the case,
  bail me.
I lost the cross,
Don't indict me.

I won the girl,
  unvail me.
I lost some teeth,
"So bite me!"

Forever and ever
Without a choice,
Roofs were raised
In booming voice:
God the Father.
Proclaimed the choir.

In our two millenia,
The communal host blessed pro-choice,
With Omni-this and Omni-that:
Christ the Son.
Christ has won.
The carollers rejoice.

The Spirit transubstantiates
With tongues of creativity;
Is One with femininity.
What greater God!
What a Trinity!