rough around the edges

Faded pink scars

Littering the bunched shoulder blades

The sun-kissed arms,

Your hands, full of

Some kind of sad joy

I remember noon, in all kinds of weather

Rain, shine, rain, shine

Rain rain rain

How the angel’s tears streamed down

Your face

Or was it

My face?

Do you remember, too?

How all that potential felt

Broiling in the pit of our stomachs

And all that blood

Over the years, God

Who knew kids could be so…

Accident prone

I remember bruises and grass stains

And the wind that jumped from my chest

When I fell out of that tree

And you looked on

the first person to ever

Worry about me

I remember your mother’s face

Stern and also soft

“Don’t you go into that lake”

And how cold that water was

And how clean it seemed

Now when I go back there

I can’t imagine anything but

Illness and pollution

I have always had

A terrible memory

I can’t recall my father’s voice

Or even

How old I was the first time death seemed

Like some exciting adventure

But I do remember you

Painted in gold

Lasso’d down a steep path

I remember you

Torn in two by

Obligation and desire

I remember you

In the warm winds

Of spring, of summer

But never decked in

A downfeather jacket

Do you remember, too?

The last time we met

There was snow on the ground and

My breath

Your breath

Was all that filled the space between us