which are blank-blue to the question, “shall we eat outside because
it’s such a lovely day?” the phrase climbing over the next phrase

seasinking, ebbing

neaping, stroke her arm when remembering her as
she used to be and to that she’ll turn toward you just a little,
she’s seen you come and go
rise out of your bed and settle into her bed &
she’ll feel her restlessness subside
because someone’s next to her
but just who you are is nothing more to her than
what needs to be done today or what can wait to be done
or what will never be done
yet none of this can be tangible,
sometimes, remembering her as she was, you forgive her everything

 

the answer lies in memoriam, my darling one
                       my firstborn,

 

in memoriam then guide her firmly

to a restaurant booth
though she surely will oppose
give her sustenance & quietly give her comfort
oblivious to what may drop on the table from her mouth or
fall to the floor from her blouse or get stuck to her pink skin like a
fresh stigmata,

embrace her if you can, from where you are

maybe she is trembling again
or maybe she’s found by some strange accident of chemistry
sparking light for only a moment
the fall and rise of what you left her