So Tessa finally passed away today.
I knew her in college and for a while
We were pretty close. One time,
I even kissed her. But that was it.
Afterwards she kind of treated me
Like crap.
But, in a letter, she admitted it.
I don’t know where that letter
Might have gone. I probably stowed it
Away in a box.
I’m not sure I want to see it,
Not just yet.
She had this brain tumor, you see.
The doctors thought they killed it
But it just kept coming back.
Man, that shit is relentless.
Joe’s disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis,
That shit was pretty wicked too.
When I found out she passed,
I did the only thing I could think of,
Which was:
To take a walk.
I took a walk down
Just to the corner store
Got some money out
From the ATM
And bought another
Lottery ticket.
After all, losing two good friends
Two years in a row, things,
They have to get better, right?
The kid handed the ticket to me.
He couldn’t have been older
Than twelve.
I said, “Hope you’re good luck.”
He had a killer smile
Full of youth, too — lucky fucker
Probably didn’t know what it was like
To lose a loved one.
I hope he never finds out.
Even though we haven’t talked
In some years now,
I’ll really miss you,
Tessa.
I’m sorry I swore so much
In a poem
That was supposed to be
About you.
D.H. Lee
