For Claire and Doug/xo
It just is/maybe we make it so
sing from rooftops/balconies/porches
belt out show tunes/opera/R&B
you decide words/volume/tempo
Perhaps the question is bigger
buried in sixty-two layers/years
it can’t be burned/forgotten
yet it hides with missing things
eyeglasses/keys/hope
What if we woke with it/slept in it
like birdsong/traffic/the wind
Johannes Brahms lullaby or
the annoying ring in the ears/head
What if love is mischief/the misfits
the missing sock you search for
a feeling it’s got to be/close
knowing our feet aren’t the same size
one shoe might squeak or pinch
How about we find a place to rest
middle of the day/not the best time
witness beauty/thing/place/person
an ordinary moment touched not held
Maybe the question is the answer
write the love letter/spread the word
don’t wait/worry/want
the blue veins under our skin
are maps leading us to/in/for love
Author’s Note: Larry and I loved Doug, we will forever: His kindness, humor, dedication, and the way he paid attention and gave his own. This piece was written for him and Claire several years back as part of a month of poetry I did for Tupelo Press, and of course, they supported both the press and me! Generosity was no stranger to Doug; a thing to marvel. Claire, we hold you in our hearts as you navigate the missing. xo