drowning

that girl called me from Georgia one night

and whap, snap, she reappears just like that,

someone never forgotten,

her white trash trailer dugout,

motorbiking with her strapped around my waist

full throttle down St. Louis I-70

blasting through a cold field full of stars,

busting up all broken promises,

devouring our hot spicy celery soup rebirth

all things around us being so certain and well fitted,

sensing the onrush of tides,

needing the reassurance of words

only to convince each other

this could only be the rush of a dream

“it’s all right”

“once it was all right, all right baby, now”

I learned anything may grow when there’s soul effort raining down,

and here the pools are everywhere

AM I DROWNING?

to learn to save myself

I must first unlearn how to swim,

and then once again,

in that eternal time

that brings total life living

“there are so many little dyings it doesn’t matter which one we call death”

I will not remember you.

you cannot remember me.

I will begin again

to die again

if you find me

stranded out here,

thirsty,

deep inside your rain

10/8/74