In the Future br that will know br br nothing of me br except this poem br & a few traces of me br br a guide br will show you br br my first kiss br & how it continues br br to exist br br although the place br & its participants br br no longer exist. br br A striking example br of the phenomenon of br br the persistence of br Memory. br br A guidebook br will inform you br br & direct you to br the places where I cried br br here here & here. br br “He sure cried a lot! ” br a future tourist will observe br br & take a single snapshot br of a solitary tear br br preserved in aspic. br br “Why did he cry? ” br a future child will ask. br br But this fact will be br forgot...then... br br “Here is a glass jar br of his actual laughter. br br The reason is not now br known. br br Here is a glass phial br of his lasts breath. br br There is an audible gasp of br “Is it? ” br br But it is obviously br faked. br br “Is that it? ” br a pain in the neck complains br “Is that all there is? ” br with a plethora of cameras br hung around his neck. br br “Jesus...poets don’t br leave much br br to remember them by! ” br br “They sure make lousy br museum pieces! ” br br br From my Past br I smile. br br ******* br br Dearest One...this one was a bit too big to get on a postcard! br br Apparently someone took a phial of Edison's last breath.