ripley

i peer at her
on the quiet days
black ink
white paper

a treasured sketch
a gift
which I'll
never part with

sometimes
i think

today is the day
i will take the picture 
out of the frame
read the message
left behind it

i haven't though
so many of those
days
have passed
and 
i've come to accept
the reality

i'll never do it

i am not 
nearly as strong
as 
all that