yesterday

soft smile

there on the picture

in front of a crowd of mourners

always happy

full of energy

love and friendship

laughter mostly

the smile was her

in my empty lifelessness

no feeling of tears

‘cept a tightening in my throat

tomorrow

some time

some place

tears may fall unwillingly

no one will know why

not even I

but the tears will be for Annie

“Tears for a Clown” is dedicated to a dear high school friend, Annie Hansen, who lost a personal struggle with cancer. Her name-spirit lives on with my niece, Kate Annie Ziepke, as my sister found it most appropriate to memorialize a lost friend.