For Shann Larsson on her 22nd birthday

This is a poem I wrote for Shann in honor of her birthday January 14th.  Happy Birthday, Shann.

The Year Past (for Shann, on her 22nd birthday)

the best thing about some years is that they are finally over eyes look to the future shun the past refusing to let memories take root trying to smooth out the chipped and broken surface of the past 365 days to leave no space for a seed of memory to lodge and send down roots that worm their way between the gaps in imperfect armor and send twin tendrils into heart and brain no lingering emotion to haunt with the same power the same stranglehold at 7, 17, and 47 no, better to polish the accumulation of days and all their experiences smooth like a billiard ball leaving nothing to chance— until our dreams betray us with the true measure of those past three hundred and sixty-five days