Too Late By Half

Went one day to

See an old flame. 

At her home I was

Told she'd burnt her

Brain out

Long ago. Been

Sent to another

Kind

Of home. 

Sent to be with

Others of her kind

Whose bodies live

Without their minds,

Cared for well in

Their living hell. 

I wish I'd known you

When you could've told

Me. What happened

Happened. Yes, I wish

I'd known you then. 

Your body aged but

Your mind you froze. 

You stare at me now with

Eyes so cold, eyes that

Will never grow old. 

I have to leave, I have

To go. This waste, this

Waste, it scares me so. 

Still, I saw some sparkle

In your icicle eye

That speaks of something

Long denied. 

Some dream of love you

Never had, a life lost

And never led, of which

Your soul was daily bled. 

So, you burned your brain

Out long ago, never to

See the sun arise, never

To return. You spurned

The world and now can't

Kiss away these

Flowing tears, a fear

That screams, Oh Holy Christ!

All I'm left with? A useless

Wish; if only... Had I

Really known you then

Would we have augured

This empty when?