You complete me
in every sound you now mouth,
every movement of your tongue,
every muscle’s adjustment
to effect fresh shape to each phrase,
in every quick, shallow breath
giving sudden pause and turn
to the next silence.

You complete me at this reading.
I had been deaf to the closing,
blind to the ending you now gift me
and ignorant of the next stair
with no balustrade to steady
where you leave the first me
to rise to find, first-hand,
the landing that now completes me.

It appeared to be in a pond.
Like the jelly form of a fish,
Moving together to hunt,
The giant shark in the pond

The music of Bach

is grief comforting people --


with touching beauty.

I guess I'll watch you drown
Let me put on my clown nose
Then you can waste my time
Articulating why I'm so awful
For wanting you to be okay

I guess you'll be going soon
Up to the Coors light mountains
Then maybe down to Miami
Where you'll come to realize
I was only speaking the truth

Or maybe you'll linger here longer
And use me as target practice
Because you just could not
Get yourself up out of bed
And immersed into the world

You only ever talk about