Letting Go

You'll take your final leave of me soon
although you've been gone for some time
When you left you took much
My happiness
My confidence
My strength
My beliefs and my rituals
But when you leave
you will leave much
For in the days that you have been gone
in our sleep, our dreams, at the times that you
could do nothing to stop me
I have been taking those things back
slowly, defiantly, still afraid
yet determined
Determined that you will not take me with you
It is mere hours until your departure
and an odd misture of sadness and relief fill me
But you have not won
You did not make me hate
you did not fill me with coldness
and for that I can still find it in me
to say
Good luck and
Good-bye