It’s forty years on, and now

I can walk and find myself

in hallways we once roamed

None now to remember your name

I am here now

I will bear witness

that Jay was here

His shy smile and nervous laugh

Dark eyes and hair

haunted like a beaten dog

We were mates from the Old School

our proud rural contingent

We were quiet

We were artists

and they ignored us

Until you drowned

in 16″ of water

I wasn’t there

but I know what happened

So sorry

We could not say goodbye