Mikey, it's been a while since I've written something, but you're on my mind all the time. I was just about to fall asleep, and I was thinking of you. It occured to me how much I miss seeing you in the mornings, perhaps one of the things I miss most of all. I jumped right out of bed and ran for my notebook, and this poem is the result. I am not a morning person by any means, and I spent much of my life dreading going to school every day. But, my dear Marius, you were in both of my first period classes, and I could not have asked for a better set up. You were always so alive and bubbly in the morning, and you were always waiting with a smile and a million stories to tell and a hand to hold. You made me look forward to getting up in the morning, and I nearly danced into those school doors every day. You loved me so unconditionally, and the feeling was truly mutual. You were the one being I wanted to see every day, first thing. Thank you, so much.

"You made me feel so at ease, like I didn't have anything to hide from you. Thank you for making me feel comfortable, Cosette. You forever changed my life." -Michael Hall

And you, my Marius, forever changed mine.

For a while I've wanted to add a poem to the series that does not touch on his death at all. Before Mikey passed away, he had started to bug me to write something about him. Maybe a poem, or to put him in a story. Believe me, I wanted to, and had planned on it. I just had not written anything before his death. And every time I've sat down to write a new addition to the Dear Marius series, I hated that I was writing because of his death. So, I have finally written a poem that I feel reflects him and our friendship before April 23rd, 2011 at around 10:30 at night. I imagine I might have eventually written something like this were he still here today.

As always, I love you Marius, forever and a day. I'm so happy your ashes are in France where you wanted them to be. My heart sang when I heard the news. You will forever have a place in my heart, dear.

-Faith