Hummingbird

Barry, the story behind the poem is amazing. I was caregiving in the most affluent of places (more like a resort, really) the gentlemen at first, angry with me for my presence--for his son had thought him not well enough to be alone... Well, as it so happens, this intelligent, beautiful, and successful man fell in love with me. In another life... who knows? His condo was on the second floor, and Spring was in full bloom. We'd sit outside on his balcony. He'd fall asleep and I'd just enjoy the serenity and warm sun. One day out of the blue, from nowhere, I asked him if he'd ever seen a hummingbird. He said no. (He'd been living in the 3 stage senior complex for several years... his wife dying in the nursing part several years earlier.) The next day, if I remember correctly, he had fallen asleep on his chair, and I went outside to bask in the sun. A feeling of incredible and inconsolable sadness came over me... as if I felt the sadness of every human being in that facility, in the world even. With tears in my eyes, I noticed... a hummingbird hovering just in front me, less than an arm's length away. and then gone in a few heartbeats. The poem came honestly. Thank you for reading, Barry.