Upon reading some of my works,
A friend asked me, “Why do you write
Such gloomy, sad stuff? You aren’t
Like that. Can’t you write something
That is more cheerful?”

I thought about what he asked,
And said, “I write of what I’ve lived,
Of past love lost, and of my life.
I can’t help rolling in the ashes,
It soots me.

August, 2003