Covid

P.S.

​

they leave like children for university 

but, I’m no parent 

castaways:  pistachio shells  

I find them forgotten  

stuffed down the side of social media 

an eleven pm text from a friend of a friend 

of a friend 

I don’t know if you heard

but...

I pay respects to their closest: a month or so 

passes for the right time. I thumb through 

our pictures and days that surprise me.

I knew you were struggling and I listened  

and I really did try 

and I rested and I thought 

it would be

​

well

​

Everybody is struggling right now.

I climb out of bed like a hag 

history hangs from my arms

I carried you like old muscles

to places you could care

I summoned soup and crusty bread  in my words

that you felt its warmth 

the maternal snug

a womb of home

​

I  tortured you

with images of your best self 

we made an emperor without hope

and the news

nuclear bleak 

 joyful as an iron curtain

left you

on the other side

​