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The book The House of the World has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and is now available on Amazon.

Giving Everything Away

Why am I giving everything away?
Here,
take a piece of my hair.
You want an organ?
I have a kidney to donate.
Time?
How much?
What will you do with it?
But I’ll share my time with you,
although it is so much a part of me,
you have to take me along.
Money?
Yes.
It is a weight to me anymore.
Enough’s enough.
The rest you can have.
My collections?
Flowers, coins, a few books,
take with you.
It is autumn.
They are being covered with leaves.
Soon I won’t be able to find them,
so everything to the curb,
take with you.

I want only emptiness
where they were.
Do not think however
I am without desire.
That I do not need something
in their place.
I want the wealth of a happy heart
for each of my children,
and my grandchildren.
I want the earth to be left alone.
A sabbatical from plunder and pillage.
I want forever to remain a day,
and allow children to play in its yards.
And a moment for myself,
to love everyone I love,
so completely,
I can pass away
and have no regrets,
or leave any tears.

Published inIndex of all Poems