Who Turned Out The Lights?

"In one moment
my paper tower
tumbled down
for nearly
no reason"

This is grief

Something not allowed
to pretty
talented
strong looking
obligated
people like
the man in my bed

reduced from
a clave player

(in general
a musical hack
of embarrassing proportions!)

to a shadow of his form
His voice the soft sad music
of apology
in one sweet word

"Okay"

His response to me
Hugging his back
as if I would fuse
to him if I could
and crawl inside

pleading to hear just enough
to know he was in there
for me

Holding him as he falls asleep
from his ragged
to calmer breathing

as this poem started crawling up
out of me...

I write this for the judges
and investigators
of our irregularities

for any children who can't
remember just exactly how
we ended up pleading for
tolerance

for our insanity
to just let us again
struggle to our feet

Because we will

we almost forgot

what broken really means