[Appeared in the The Ides of Sandpoint, Vol. 2 No. 3, "Mystery"]

Her Visit

I keep rehashing
The night I dreamt of her
Like waves crashing
For I have found no cure

I looked for her
Found her in the park
We were talking
Alone in the dark

Suddenly silent
I looked at her face
She quickly hugged me
I felt her embrace

She said she loved me
She had no regrets
Then she left running
I heard her footsteps

Those footsteps woke me and raised my hairs
I jumped out of bed and ran to the stairs

I thought I could hear her, I started to stare
But saw only darkness, for no one was there

That night she was driving
Back from the cape
While a depressed farm worker
Made his escape

With a dozen beers
He tried to drown
While she was headed
Back into town

He staggered to his Jeep,
A brown Cherokee
But no one had bothered
To take his key

As he drove home thinking
He was fine
He repeatedly crossed
The center line

The tearing of metal
Was the last thing she heard
One moment took her life
Without even a word

As I hold her ashes and try not to scream
I keep thinking of that night and my dream

With my tears I thank her for saying goodbye
And saying she loved me the night that she died

(c) 2006 Gary R. Hassler

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