A Prairie Home Companion from American Public Media: First Person

Answers to death and living
By James Stasek
Email: jamesstasek at yahoo dot com
(above email address formatted to reduce spam)
December 18, 2007

Prologue:
When we know where we are.
We will ask a question.
Then— answer ourselves.
The questions always come up.
Answer them one at a time.

Here I am,

I sit here, waiting for?
Love to return?.
Where is it, where could it be?
Darkness I have ascended;
The light I see.

So where is love for me?
In the beauty of the trees.
The singing of the stream.
Geese honk, my garden grows
Flowers bloom; who knows?

Life gives us a purpose.
For me it is clear
Live life and love.
Be yourself.
Ask questions of life,
Put the garbage on the shelf.

That is how I feel.
For now I'll just deal with it,
Because
, I know—You are my friend.

About the author:
My wife died of brain cancer a year and a half ago (Feb. 21, 2006). She lived 24 years with this, Raised two of the most loving boys and helped me realise what love is all about. I know you hear enough about hardship and the human condition. This woman inspired kids in her situation to carry on. She watched a lot of children live, and, a lot of people die. She kept going until it killed her. I know my poetry is rough, but, it comes from the heart. I give it to all humanity. We all greeve When a loved one is lost. We think that person is the most important on earth (she was to me and her boys).