I bet I am
More sad than you.
I know I am
That's all I knew.
I know I will
Be happy but.
Right now I'm stuck
In this sad rut.

Come, dark of night,
Be a lover to me
Cover me with peace;
The quiet of no sight,
With no light to annoy
No little girl or boy
Playing outside my door.

For I need the rest;
The best you can bring.
Sing me your lullaby.
Let me persuade you
To invade my slumber
With lumber enough
To saw logs that build
A fortress against the day
Threatening to come my way.

Soothe me, sweet nighttime
For I’m in need of calm,
The balm offered by sleep
That can keep me abed
Dreams in my head, instead
Of doing and going and saying.

Playing is all for tomorrow
And I don’t sorrow that I am here
With unconsciousness drawing near;
Nothing to hear that awakes me
Sweet nightfall come take me.
Let nobody shake me or make me
Climb out of this bed
Where I rest my weary head.

For Helene.


Ashes on the water, now.
Love's bones like dust downstream.  
At least it got to see itself in our eyes,
Feel itself between hand holding hand

And whispered caresses.
From pillow talk to fists raised at
Concerts, glasses of Portuguese wine
On her balcony to the sound of magpies

We named our neighbours.
We were beautiful.
Began beautifully.
Ended gracefully.

I open hands that held hers and see
Nothing but skin worn by labour,
And air.
Ashes on the water, now.

Embers without a chance against rivers  
Cold with melted mountain snow and
Unyielding differences.
Some loves drown with lungs too full

To cry; others float like a funeral-pyre-
Longboat into the night, ablaze.
King and queen, hand upon hand.
Crowns tied from fresh flowers,

We were beautiful.
Began beautifully.
Slid apart the way a glacier parts from
The hills; slowly, but with the force

Of its thousands of tons.
Ashes on the water,
Where the ghost of our union rests
Underneath the surface of our memories.

I will remember you.
Until the stars burn out, raining the
Dust of themselves like snow upon
These waters that always are moving.