Patricia

It was Patricia that you loved
Back in those now far away days
When your heart was open
And you believed in the humanness of people

You loved her
Her polished accent
Her devotion to the things of God
Her love for ordinary people

Those were the good days
When anyone could be a friend
And life had not dug its fangs into your neck
Or bitten and sucked the innocence out of you

You loved her
She alone stood by you
When you crossed the seas
Unlike the others, she did not forget your name

Now these days you struggle
To love ordinary people
To see beyond their darting eyes
And their sharp mouths

These days you feel constantly under attack
So you save your strength and your love
You lock up and you retreat
You are not Patricia