Paul H. Levenson

THE NIGHT I HEARD DICK DIED

Never having been under fire in war
I don't know exactly how it feels
When a shell explodes over head
And the brain explodes inside,
Numbing it completely,
KABOOM!!

Never having drowned in the ocean,
I don't know exactly how it feels,
That last, desperate attempt to suck in air,
One millimeter of oxygen more,
One deep breath, just one more,
And it can't be done;

Never having been smashed suddenly down to earth,
I don't know exactly how it feels,
The breath knocked completely out of me,
One moment breathing the crisp, clear
New England winter air as I ran along,
And then, Bam!
All consciousness
All awareness,
Gone;

Never having lost a friend
Who felt, well, eternal,
The way God is, really,
Just there,
Doing ordinary, everyday,
Run of the mill miracles;
Speaking, writing, smiling
Guiding, helping, advising,
Responding,
I to him, he to me,
All in a very caring way,
The way a familiar old friend ought to;
Smiling, writing, speaking.
And then he's gone, Kaboom!
My head made numb,
No air, no oxygen,
Bam! Struck down.

Now I know how it feels.