BEFORE THE FAT LADY SINGS (c1990)
by Raymond Joe

It was like when a glass slips,
the moment, just before it falls,
and you watch, motionless, as it leaves your hand.

That moment before a final exam,
when you don't want it to start,
but you know it will, now, in a second,
    two seconds, three seconds...

Like those times when you're already late, but
    you stop the car anyway,
and you look at the view you know
    you may not see again,
all the time hoping, you will see it again.

Like the last week of classes
and there's no time to sleep,
but you want to spend it with __ .

It's like the moment the seagulls hover
on wind currents high overhead
before dipping and diving, right before
    they stop playing--

It was like that,
it was that,
and it was grand.