XIII. I WAITED YEARS FOR YOU I waited years for you to suddenly be born, to enter my world and shatter it utterly. I grew into my life and into my sadness, I felt the limits lock me in, the walls close around me. I was tied to the spirit of loss, and I looked everywhere for the lost rose, the limitless rose, the white rose of pure desire. I saw you in the yellow light trapped inside your sorrow. It was nighttime, Prague, and we were strangers walking slowly towards one another, slowly towards a first embrace. All time peeled away when I held you in my arms, all the losses became meaningless. I drew you towards me in your white dress as you were almost weeping. With sad eyes, with golden hair, you were the white rose of pure desire.