Duet

I am sprawled out the back of your mind

just holding on with my fingertips

I am what you were

known still to your bones and muscles

but your mind has lost its melody

your fingers have lost their strength to play

your neck has lost its twisting power

to turn

look at me

know me

confront me

embrace me

play me

Sometimes you are moved by me

as something in you shivers

a harmonic resonance

to a note you can no longer reach

So I try to help you play me

and though our tones are scattered

discord here and pauses there

your decaying genius

plucks out an improvisation to my original melody

and within it I still live

with my chuckle and my narrowed eyes

my sturdy stance and unsighed sighs

Our gathered-round ones hear me still

and see me sprawled out flat behind you

they know me like they don’t know you

some confront you

some embrace you

just as they do me

but all see and hear

my melody and your descant

double eyes, double lips, double hands

it is our duet.

–

2-3/2020

For those who are losing and not knowing what they’ve lost

For those who are watching and are blinded by the loss