Poet,
where are you?
Did I miss the memo
giving your notice
to vacate?
Are you frozen,
did you get burned?

Poet,
where are you?
I will meet your demands.
All the ink in any color,
all the paper you can fill
and you won't have to be succinct
or quiet or right side up.

Poet,
you've been inside me
from bone to skin
and without you
my soul is unprotected,
a lifeline gone.
Where are you?

I remember how you claimed to read me like a book
And then left me on the shelf
Forgotten by the person
I could never forget
Slowly quietly
Hiding behind closed doors
I remember
The time I loved you
Quickly frantically burying my tears
In the cloth of my sleeves
I remember
The time I loved you

turn off the ac
turn off the fan
open the windows
don’t hear,
do listen
turn off the light
turn off the lamp
turn off the music
close the book
lay down
close your eyes
notice things