My soul lay squirming,
too chagrinned
to look my way or speak.
Your light’s too harsh,
my soul declaimed,
for playing hide and seek.

This comes as a surprise to me,
these parts of you, I said.
You all can play
now that you’re here.
I’ll turn away my head.

There’s more to come,
my soul pronounced,
as if I didn’t know–
as if I didn’t have a heart,
as if my pulse were slow.

I know I said
I loved you well
when you were just a lad.
The ages come, the ages go,
you take your time, be sad.