In the bed of crisp white sheets
You slipped
A silver haired overlay
Of that raven haired
Hero of all things new
Arms resting on the bleached coverlet
Seen by others as skeletal and fading
I sung Sweet Chariot to you
White horses coming
As you redolent of turpentine and oils
Had taught and sung with me long ago
Just for this day
Curled quiet within the calliope
Of the childhood carousel
Turning to catch another
Glimpse of you as the music
Whirled, dust motes danced
In the slanting summer light
Waiting for you to leap
Fearless onto the still moving platform
To carry me in young powerful arms
Back to solid ground, back home
The laughter of children
Pure in the fading tinkle of the calliope
In the bed of crisp white sheets
My hand on the stopped beat
In your stilled chest
Your lips cooling
As you exhaled apricots
In the slanting summer sun
juicy yet tight words.
ReplyDeletewell done.