She stood waiting at doorway,
Eager, with a smile.
“Are we going out today?” I nodded and followed her out

crisp morning air  had our breath showing
floating up above my head
above hers, towards the sky
murky blue and stretching forever, promising sunrises
and sunlight for hours
yet


I ran out before her
Struggled up the greenest hill
She passed me easily, grinning wide
“Is that all you’ve
got.”
She liked to tease, to
Laugh

I came to the crest, plopped down
Ungraceful and unashamed
In that moment, with her still
A pillar of light beside me,
Turning back and
Forward
Back
And forward
Then to me again only to dash
Using some reserve of energy
(I surely
could not have)
To fly down the other side
A splash of colour
Against the grey monotone
Of early morning
grass


she disappeared,
ran an inch in an
instant
a foot in a
fraction
a mile in a
minute
to somewhere I could not
see

but

I did search
Did call
Did scream
For her return

the echoed silence rang so loud
I flinched against it
Fell against it
Beat against it
Mourned
Against
It

Till the crisp morning air had my breath showing
floating up above my head
above hers, towards the sky
chilling blue and stretching forever, promising
nothing

yet