My Dog

You are so distant  
In my arms
This physical touch is never enough
I cannot breach your separation from me
And I am clinging to you
Like the recollection I’m terrified I’ll lose
It’s wavering as soon as I  
Pause
And in these moments I desperately clutch you
I recognize
I have only been inhaling your scent
And I am blind to the casket
It only hides your vacancy
Oily vapors  
Capture what used to be mine
Replacing me but they are
Washable
Water can so easily erase you from me
I could kiss you but
 
You are so distant  
In my arms
Pressure builds up and stifles my throat
Silently yelling across this barricade from you
You still taste like apple trees
Snowball fights
And wrapping paper
You linger on me like bonfire smoke and dying leaves
You stain my skin like summer grass
Tripping on all the yesterdays I had with you
I worry all I’ll remember are the headlines
Not the news
And you are the fine print my eyes were sometimes too tired to read
I could kiss you but
 
You are so distant  
In my arms
The longer I cling the more I hope to revive you
I climbed into your still beating heart
But you have become Waldo
And I do not know where you are
The cold seems to be emanating from your skin  
And I worry I’ll soon freeze
But I cannot disengage myself from you
My sunshine
My only sunshine
You have become the pink hats you stole
The long walks
The low tide waves
You have always been my shield
My flicker in the dark
My charm
I could kiss you but
 
You are so distant  
In my arms