the game, by shawna holman

I'd never heard of it before.
You coaxed me to let you lead the way--
I followed.

I was nervous at first,
but you gave me confidence--
I followed.

Little by little, I learned.
You watch and rejoiced, and still--
I followed.

I played the Game, wondering how well I did.
My answer never came, it seemed--
You started playing with someone else - by yourself--
I tried to follow.

The rules kept changing.
I was forced to compromise--
You were fading away.
Where I looked--
There was nothing.

The Game had ended - and I was the loser.

© April '89

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