February 22, 1995 -- for Tiffany
When I encounter you
I think I feel young:
But young is an dark,
Obscure, occluded mystery.
Once upon a time
I was young,
So I've been told.
But I was old
Ere I was young.
We battered children
Often forget to laugh,
Mostly too scared to dream.
Dreams are fire and wind and death.
Games are stratagems of stealth and power.
We pray,
Just for this one day,
no one hurts us -- please.
We seclude ourselves.
We scurry thru the darkness of ourselves,
With confused and dreadful peekings-out
Thru walls of fear and pain and rage.
Yesterday I encountered you
And part of me pretended to smile.
But I astounded myself:
All of me laughed.
by Gavangar Shadowranger
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