For Robby

Michael Travisano (Green River Aikido)

Robby Finkel passed away June, 2008. He was originally a student of Paul Sylvain at Valley Aikido, and then continued his training with Dave Steir at Green River Aikido.

Sometimes
the world just turns too quickly
and a real effort must be made
to sit with a thing, to be still
to settle with it
to let it sink in
with honesty.

It might be a memory
welcome or not ---
it could be someone once here
and now gone or missed.
Sometimes
it's a slow turning of the heart
not immediately realized
not fully recognized
until the footing becomes unsteady
and what was less sure
is less sure all the more.

If I believed events had meaning
if there was enough faith ---
I'd want today's rain
to cleanse us all
to soften the soil
where all our sorrows
come to flower.

Today ---
we said another good-bye
and wondered some more
about the loss of a man
about all he was
that we never knew.

Never knew we would come here
and learn how large a life could be
how many places are called home
in the course of living
how many people are touched
by a single life
spent in loving wonderment
agreeing finally
this was no small thing.

Those of us that knew each other
that could say what we will
spoke of how you might never know
where fortune will come from
how it can find you
when you are elsewhere
looking for your life.
We spoke of miles and distance
and left unsaid
the deep knowing ---
of how our hearts do yearn
how we all die
with our desires unfinished.