I shall go to the Mountains
and play my guitar
in the rocky spine of my land
and sing to the provinces
like ex-lovers.

I shall go to the Mountains
as the trees bronze over
and stand there,
sharing their lonely.

For a while.

I shall go to the Mountains
on an errant without fear
and hold myself very tightly
shiver in the waxing October light.

You have no idea
how much I've changed!

Friday, 1211h
A man collapses at lunch
and his vitals spin away like
marbles: pulse, breath, pallor
rolling about on the floor
out of reach of the heroes who
shout his name, flash their pagers
like the batman symbol.
Someone get a doctor in here, now.
The old Vets shuffle out of the room
comment blearily on the poor guy
I guess after the War things do not phase you the same
but perhaps they didn't notice the hue of his lips.
And then he stabilizes, and I fall apart
aghast, aback, there is still tuna sandwich in my mouth
ground by my teeth into a diamond to monument the recovery.
The gurney rolls by, I know him.
My stomach falls to Ground Floor
in relief and despair.

That's the thing about long term care
these men are clever, they teach you so well how to live
that you forget they're supposed to die.

Oh, when you're on the edge
on the edge of clean
I'll make space for you darling
come closer to me.

And I'll tuck you down
and tell you how very good you are,

how very good you are.

And I shall ready a place,
waiting for you to
wake up
wake up
from our love, half-asleep
the curve of your hand,

from our love, half-asleep
in the Purple Land.