wind
A bird sings, leaping
inside my heart
A voice speaks,
this moment, fierce deluge of sound,
tidal wave of roar, ringing
until it ebbs and fades
because
(wrong)
(missing)
(gone)
not your voice, humming in your
chest, murmuring against my ear
A face, turned
toward me in
pleasant conversation,
eyes sparkle and shift while
lips twist and part and dance and leap and pout,
pursing, like unintended kisses, until the
world splits, puzzles, reforms and
it is not your face
expectant, shining with joy
it is
not
Shade in the spread of a hand;
the catch of a footstep; the
warmth of breath;
not
Shuddering, lost, and walking
through the doorway into the cold
bright death of autumn, damp and
frigid, and
numb.
Foundering with the leaves
on bitter wind;
on the orange-needled hill, layers, the…
