Midnight

obstacles

buttons

and

cotton

snaps

and

wool

fingers

unhooking

hands

blurring

passion

it

was

the

hustle

and

bustle

of

intimacy

finally

in

twilight

and the

moons

silence

we

reflected

beneath

flannel

front

to

back

did

we

know

time

tics

and

tocks

to

heartbeats

initially

rapid

now

still

I remember

forearm

bracelet

adorned

cotton cuffs

black trousers

handsome

hellos

highballs

oysters

bubbles and

story

cigars and

Burgundies

twilight

and daybreak

Egyptian cotton

ironed by

body creases

I

now know

good-bye

bitterness

weighted

heaviness

loves

anguish

your

back

disappearing

into

night

why are

hellos

so sweet

and

good-byes

so

sour

We

bought

these

tickets

months

ago

we

road

this

train

to the

end of

the line

at first

we were

giddy

foolish

hungry

for

adventure

now

we’re

tired

cramped

aching

to

disembark

why

is

the

destination

always

disappointing

when

the

journey

was

inspiring

why

have

blossoming

hearts

lost

their

blooms

we’ve

placed

the last

point

at

the

end

of our

sentence

period

Dusk

quiet

laying

smiling

white

linen

draped

across

a tawny

torso

watching

unbuttoning

shirt

peeling

off

cotton

arms

outstretched

welcoming

eyes

yearning

and lips

asking

final

daylight

slivers

over

your

shoulder

streaking

your

face

in crimson

you’re

my

blanket

my

comforter

Across

eggs and

coffee

seeing you

remembering

it

them

those

laughter

rabbit kisses

darkness and

daybreak

flannel

soap and

toothpaste

can

a

lifetime

be

only

one

day