There are days when I think
what if you had lived and
whole scenes enfold with
you as the main character
The problem is no one else
can see or hear you
and if I move too quickly
or pause, you disappear
into the passing clouds
into the shade patterns
of a red maple you planted
but that was moons ago
I mean the same moon just phases
back when we disagreed
about the dumbest things like
how far apart seeds should be
what color to paint inside or out
you never wanted anything to change
beige to orange, white to green
the yellow ceiling and walls
of the kitchen, the last
thing you painted with anger, aubergine
using a new ladder because
the old one was no longer safe
We can buy fireworks now
at the grocery store and
our boys built a fire for
marshmallows, for huddling on cool nights
You flickered by the broken gate
but I stayed silent, lighting
a few sparklers, writing
your name and mine connected
You left unceremoniously but
returned after midnight in a dream
so cold and confused, confined in
a place I could scarcely reach
nodeshell courtesy of Auspice
IN