At A Reunion Party.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

to keep the distance
we shy away from saying anything
deep within
we have so many things to say
but we are afraid

when we gather
just like last night
we were too careful
all the words seem right
the way they were used and spoken

nothing seems broken
not the sound of the plate that
fell on the floor
or the glass that spilled water on
the table
how the mantel got wet
and how each tried to clean the mess

but the fact is that
everyone is suspicious
someone is going to be destroyed
at the next moment

we hold our glasses
ready with our toasts
for good health
somehow our eyes are looking at
a different direction
vigilant and
always ready

someone is going to be destroyed tonight
and everyone sees to it that it should be the other.