It wasn’t like I
Thought that it’d be
Much less than fanfare
More like gaining weight
Rather than it thundering
It just quietly called
A hey you there
Not you yeah you
Want to be mine
And finally finally after
The fear of not
Of maybe never forever
You picked me to
Be on your team
It’s hard to admit
That you are old
Done chasing and ready
To sit and remember
The first things to
Float are those hoped
Forgotten that sting bite
And buzz about obnoxiously
Next the lily pads
Tethered to something deeper
But seeing their beauty
As they open up
And finally clear water
Which is nothing actually
Actually it is nothing
Which are my fondest
Peaceful memories of all
Change is coming I
Can feel it everything
Can yes even us
Things have cooled going
From hot to chilling
Soon the edges will
Entertain ice and will
Creep over everything this
Is how everything goes
At first shiveringly thin
Eventually barren and lost
I imagine that my
Heart is like a
Bus filled with tourists
On their way to
The Vatican each with
It’s own purpose many
To be splendidly wowed
Others for the gelato
A few for blessings
Each elbowing the others
For room some even
Saying mama mia as
They’re pressed like garlic
So many so packed
Believing that there’s something
There at the end
Love has a bitter
Aftertaste it lingers and
Like a dog that’s
Just eaten a bug
I spit and wipe
And wretch and gargle
And swish and finally
After the circus has
Left town I can
Once maybe cautiously taste
Love again but with
One eye closed obviously
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 