a world
of nostalgic
facsimiles.
i met someone
who looked
like you.
She looked at me
with the same eyes
you used to,
the cruel mix between
devil-may-care
and miserable.
searching vain, searching
ridiculous,
I make a joke of myself--
remember
the time
I bought a
scruffy looking
black mouse
from a pet store
at whim
to replace the one that died
when I
was 6
but I can hardly replace you
with this pale
stranger
but i can hardly lay
your own few-ounce body
to rest
