Absence

Absence

Please forgive my absence,

what I lack in attendance, I gain in presence.

Where my timing, and memory fail painfully,

my growth, and contentment flourish.

I stopped to watch the butcherbird,

as it chortled on my clothesline.

I was cut off in traffic by an office clerk,

whose schedule was off by a five whole minutes.

Please forgive my absence,

I forgot that it was your day today, but I’ll never forget you.

I forgot the brand of your shoes, and the name of your scent,

But not the texture of the hide, or the waft that you leave.

I had to remember author of a book,

and that Spanish word for helmet

I was told not to forget your other day,

or that one we shared, I’ll remember it soon.

Please forgive my absence,

for all that I lacked, and all that found and then lost.

But don’t forgive me the worst of my absence,

the one where we forgot to meet again.

Tim Hunter