A raven beard
Thick velvet hair parted to the left
like a black swan’s wing
Chestnut eyes that light up
as times square when you smile

The neurotic stare
A rebel air of disregard
On a five-foot nine frame
with a six-pack and bulging biceps

No underwear would you wear
No soap or deodorant
Only shampoo for your hair
You curled up like a baby in my lap
with your head laying on my breast
It felt like ******

The Duquesne University degree
hung on your office wall
A catholic boy raised
with a heavy-handed father
whose fist pounded out all his frustrations
on a frail little boy
And a mother who stood by and closed her blind eyes

And the lies, Jimmy
So many lies/You hid a wife
You held me in eternity
You yourself, said it was surreal
doing couples therapy with your former patient
a borderline and married with a son living at home

And the fights, Jimmy
Pummeling my fists against your chest
Chasing me down the city street
A woman asking if she should call the police
Picking me up and throwing me inside
your 1.5-million-dollar condo
Shaking me until I cried

And the *** –
You made me beg
I went down on my knees to please you
Told you my fantasies
We weren’t supposed to be
You took an oath “do no harm”

Then the complaint to the board
And the demand letter that followed -
$100, 000 dollars
And the lawyers
That was the last straw for you –

June 16, 2017
was your last day/you collapsed
age: 62
They moved you back to Woonsocket, Rhode Island
with your father and three brothers

This was love, Jimmy
Love as only we could know it
Love was fists
Love was lies
Love was staring down at each other in the eyes