Chapter Text
I made a trip to Buzzard’s Bay
In my mind, overturning
footed moon snails, hunt punched
holes in bivalves &
‘til I see your eyes I have no
clue: I’m asleep.
You - same face
last time we spoke, end of summer, dining broke,
when, all eyes on the road, you slowed, and,
Elbow low, one steering hand withdrew.
“[Old friend,]” warning led, in
not so many words
You said: “[the words you said],”
Grasping your green ribbon then,
Pulling off your head.
Our fearing beats increasing race
you driving us to clammy place me
Rapping hollow railing, bee to bend.
Jinkies! We anew and you amend, then,
leafing fall from flagpole, worst,
landing assbone-butthole-first,
bust marcescent shrubs and burst,
mulched our awkward moments, laughed,
and pulled a booth for three.
“Your girlfriend’s really cool,” I said,
When you returned to school, not dead
we soon got back to texting on the reg.
I liked her and was glad that she liked me.
Emergency sink in squeezed stone,
Your dad said "[we were alone],"
Stilling stiff of clacking bone
Gripping first time fractured father wane.
Chewed my phone to swallow sob
(Last thing you wrote was “Oh my Glob!”
I never saw [that TV show] again.)
You were thin and I was fat,
You had a dog. I had a cat,
I fell in love at summer camp, you fell for her at school.
I played Snake while you played WOW,
I don’t remember when or how
We figured out best friendship worked but those short years were cool. Trade
fighting words at recess for forgiveness in your pool.
Your father begged our stories but I felt too much a fool.
The only one I ever tell, [our friend] said first, and very well,
but trying best, on Halloween: Triumphant pirate queen (and moon.)
Hearth-flecked blue bat evening new,
Even-ing side do first, two.
Crackling cross-stage
stoop lawn troupe
plops - whoops! - in to scene.
Co-star crawling concrete stairs,
your sword and pail, our matching pairs.
I always chose an extra’s pose,
body bent performing rose for
fearsome seaside winner throes, redirecting
moonbeam so sure
spot light stuck to you.
Ring dong door creak
Galley giggle late speak
Brutish bellow whaleish wail
your bale and swell lit sleeping pierce.
Mutineering rampant crow,
running [co-star] through a-froe.
”[To the queen her victory!]”
Toe on [co-star]’s butt y'heckle
“More booty for me!”
Playlike treat us selves to trick
Leaving laughing neighbors, slick
dunno whose idea it was her
Highness stole the show.
Plank walking a decade tho,
tilling tender heart to grow,
Snail dreams easy, plus I’m slow
ever-present absence eking lifetime to unlearn.
Were you as you were, dear friend:
star upstart who never ends,
Pirate queen as seen in bed,
Dash our vision, left to head:
Solo living laugher after all of us lie dead.
in sleep. Face-to-face-to you
again, and
everything can happen, then,
the moment I recall you when your forehead
folds and dreaming
ends, ten years since somehow it’s been
Saddest guest, used to
think, missing, weeping, shoreline slink,
this year blinked, birthday flew
healing sweet;
dreamy due:
I loved you. I remember you.