I touched your face
~ today*
I drew
     the fingers of

     my right hand

         down slowly,

              gently along

             the left side
    
              of your

            beautiful

           face


I cupped your dainty chin
between thumb and forefinger

I willed with all my energy that

you might feel my touch and hear

my heart whisper your name -

"my darling little bird"

~

and I heard you softly say my name ...

"ant..."

"stay with me ant..."

"don't leave me,  please..."


I heard you say that

~ today

when I touched

your beautiful face

in my favourite photograph of you.

Your garden was lush
   with poetic wildflowers
yet, darkness swayed its spirit
    'neath teeming salt tear hazes,
  tried to enrich the soil but
    ground cover was defensive,
hardened by winters' of
   contrary disconnectedness