When I Began

Almost forty years ago,

I found myself home,

alone, after almost

dying from cancer.

Everyone had gone

back to work. It was

April and patchy light

was all over the living

room.

I opened my red robe

and wondered where

I’d been and who I

was now.

The veil between me

and life had been punc-

tured and I began to sob.

I made some more coffee

and held the wet spoon

in the morni…