REMEMBERING IMMORTALITY ____________________________________________________ the little one flitted about the room all whirling ponytails and careless laughter chasing after little black ants that awoke from a dreamless winter sleep to see the shadow of a little foot and then nothing I lay on the couch, absorbing the warmth of the fireplace and the memories of you barely aware of their fate the whirl of ponytails, the careless laughter when suddenly the little one, ponytails now hanging limp in hushed solicitude asked why I was sad I could have told her of you -- but I said nothing stared blankly at the TV as if she wasn't there and so she flitted away a whirl of ponytails and careless laughter while I wondered if it was really her who asked why I was sad © 1996 S. A. Oleksy