"Pink Slip" (c)

Twelve years ago, it happened

in that office by the door.

The end of a four year battle.

My little civil war--

"The decision was made to..."

My mind freezes at the word.

What now--

The end of misery and abuse--

The beginning of what?

Searching, 

Pain,

Suffering,

Closed doors,

More that open--

to the Library of Congress,

Chapel Hill,

the mountains,

the sea,

UNC,

Paris,

Normandy,

Hemingway's hang-out,

My first camping trip in a long time,

Durham,

the Nasher,

writers and poets,

DPAC 

and Boston

and back here.

Where is here?

To gratitude

for where I am now,

and for not being where

 I was then.

I've given the pink slip

to that person,

and that time,

and love 

my prayer

for grace and

forgiveness.