Debora Greger’s poem “Not Thinking About the Past” was published in NER 27.2 (2006):

In an idle hour I thought of former days;
And former friends seemed to be standing in the room.
 —Po Chü-i, “Thinking of the Past,” 833 A.D.

Pebbles of rain dashed against the window,
the past begging to be let in—
and then, what shadow lay beside me?

[read the poem]