Charlotte Wore a Yellow Dress

Charlotte Wore a Yellow Dress     7/6/2016

Charlotte wore a yellow dress

On Peachtree Street

Or was it Fairleigh Poplar

Back when things were different

And so was I.

I was eating in a bistro

That is no longer there

Then still protected

And still safe. 

Young, selfish,

Angry and foolish

I was still a newbie

Asleep in my dreams. 

I had not yet learned

That the more you get

The more you want

And that the more you lose

The less you care.

The other Charlotte

Laughed in my backseat

Joking with her brother

Driving in circles. 

Anything but boring

She sticks out in my mind

A bright spot

On a sunny day. 

Time slid sideways

And an entire world

Disappeared

Pulled out from under

In the blink of an eye. 

Most of everything

We will forget

Nothing but a puff of smoke

Meaningless and dumb. 

The bland and the lifeless

It all melts away

No matter how self-important

Or self-absorbed.

But the bright flame burns

And remains full of fire

Long after the colors fade

And dreams disappear. 

I remember Charlotte

Burning bright

Two and the same

At different points in time. 

I will see you both

And laugh once again

Brighter than ever

The second time around.