The day of
her affair

And Poldy
-in love-
allowing it

A father invites a son
into the kitchen,
talking before
he walks
him
out

Reentering
the house at night
filled with evidence
of Boylan

Crumbs brushed
off the bed
-ten years
since-

Feet at the head
and head at the
foot, a behind
kiss to Gea-tellus

How to write ones final words? How find the will to carry on?
When I know this ship and all - all of this - will soon be gone.
Yet perhaps, if not my bones, at least my memories will be found
Amid the wreckage of a land where none but swaying palms abound.
So may the finder of this bottle bring these words I duly pen
To the family of the sailor - Kieran Dacey Boylan -
Though my body lies in rest beneath the roiling of the sea -
Know my soul forever soars above the verdant Irish lea.

I am a face hidden by a camera lens,
mismatched earrings and an empty locket.
I am a memory curator, boxes
of cards, ticket stubs, pressed flowers.
I am a back-of-the-hand to-do list
and a corduroy jacket.

You are a sunrise and a 12-mile run,
sweaty feet and 3-day stubble.
You are dry eyes, even at funerals,
and a soft spot for golden retrievers.
You are a rusty blue Chevy
that you’ll fix up one day.

We are hands lingering after saying Grace.
We are “I’ll get this, you get that,
and we’ll split them.”
We are Alanis Morissette in the rain,
and a view of the fading day
from the rail of Boylan Bridge.

Frank K. Briesch,
I do not know you,
Yet your lack fills me with sorrow.
I cannot explain but you I chose
to lay a rose atop your eversome grave

Mary A. Boylan,
I do not know you,
Your spirit remains a mystery.
I came here to know and somehow I saw
You never returning face.

Gary M. Paluch,
I do not know you.
Your name is know throughout the stone
And perhaps nowhere but here.
I cannot know and you cannot tell
For your mouth is far beneath me.

Mother,
I do not know you.
I can see what you were and nothing more
For you are a forgotten rock beneath my feet.
I can say nothing, you can say nothing.
Your secret is your death.

Yesterday was your birthday
Not stalking you just revisited yesterday
Wont reach out and never will'
Reminders of you are a very biter pill
SUBO, Whitehead Hall, and Boylan came to call
It was long ago and far from away
Hope your life is happier today
It was not meant to be even for nineteen year old me
Was blind and deaf to reality, you see
Why you played along as a friend, history will show
Better things happened later there this is how it would go
My husband and Two master degrees came
Life has never been the same
We were not meant to be
Took a very long time to move forward you see
I wanted and needed you but all you could do was take and not give
Not a life I wanted to live

C@rainbowchaser2020