a man lay in bed
last days
he knows
dying from the struggle
to live
the nurse
does what she can
to make it easier
through the morphine
induced fog
a moment of clarity
he says
“I never learned
to ride a bike”
too late now
she knows
too late now
(D James)
I went
as far as the road
would take me
then continued on
I followed
the wind
as far as it did blow
then went beyond
I walked
to the peak
of the mountain
then reached up and touched the sky
I dropped
to the bottom
of the ocean
then dug down to the center of the earth
seen the sights
rode the rides
had loves
and losses
watched the line between
the beginnings and endings
blur
then bend
into a circle
and I can either
go round with it
or waste time
fighting against the flow
(D James)
I remember when
you had to buy tokens
to ride the subway
and phone calls
were a dime
if you could find
a pay phone that worked
I remember when cabs
wouldn’t leave Manhattan
for the other boroughs
and street lights
were few
I remember when
computers were so big
they had rooms
of their own
and no one
had one at home
I remember when
you had to make the bank
by 3 pm
and never missed
a Friday visit to the teller
or you were without cash
all weekend
and people wrote checks
bought stamps
and mailed their bills
and if this
were written then
I wouldn’t be able
to share it with you
(D James)
I remember
the past
as if it were
some one else’s
story
as if I
were some one
other than me
those days
and days
of years
the many nights
the horrible “mornings”
of the afternoon
washed clean away
by different thoughts
other actions
I remember a time
when I was
some one else
when I told
a different story
I remember as if
read in a novel
or seen in a film
I remember
so as not to forget
so as not to become
what I’ve been
what was left behind
(D. James)
talking
through static
for hours
about life
about love
the past
the future
everything
and nothing at all
of all
we could do
with the time
there is nothing
better
than this
(D. James)
I look for you
or the virtual
approximation
of you
the pull
so strong
the emotional
distance bridged
through half-sentences
in a tiny window
we abbreviate
and emoticon
our way through
complex emotions
rooted in a past
long before
any of this technology
existed
years go by
and then suddenly
you are there again
always reconnecting
always
at the wrong time
perhaps we had
our chance
back then
and it won’t
come around again
wishing
it were any other way
won’t make it so
but I still try
(D. James)
where are
the hula girls
and the umbrella drinks
the smoke-filled
club
with the little
tables
and white linen
it already happened
born too late
the party moved on
damn I hate that
(D. James)
