When I dreamed
that my left hand had withered
and the doctors were all
eager to amputate
in my sleep I shouted no!
and woke and then
I knew for sure
that change was overdue
I saw the plane trees
lining the broad walk
up onto campus
how the tender shoots
had been pruned back
until the branches
looked like knobbly stumps
and thought you see
that's where this path
is taking you
and put that thought together
with my dream
and cried awhile
and stepped away
into my life