alpha

'disheartened and disappointed,' she had written, 'in your failure to turn in quarterly reports.'

and sincere eyes, from across the table, in anger and frustration, replied to me the words the other she would not hear.

'disheartened and disappointed'
(perhaps)
in the three drive-bys this year to our facility
in the paralyzation of my son's basketball teammate
in the 'wild, wild' reputation of west oakland.

clumsily, later, i said why i'm attracted--
no attracted but drawn to--
him as a mentor as a moment as a model:
strength in the face of these truths.

yes, i am leaving.