Guide dogs of the Rich and Famous, on
Warren Hellmans 60th birthday

Always  alone

Dancing with a mirror,
Enamoured of perfection,
Searching for a glimpse
Of your own reflection

Held to the fast track
By family ties
You grew to fit.

Greased and smooth
You followed its course
With unnecessary skill.

It was long ago
Your true love stepped aboard
Strapped in and secure,
And over time the cars have filled.

The straight track has
gradually turned
to an upward spiral
A helix on a hill.
And at the top
The spiral becomes a circle.

You think
"Have I seen this before?"
As familiar landmarks glide by again.
Again and again.
And the pace has slowed.

But the upward spiral has turned to circles
A pleasant Carousel, an eddy you can ride
While the rest of life passes by
And you fade into memory.

94-07-24