Remember back—before the autumn’s cold—
The sultriness we shared. And when I told
You of my amaranthine love you bloomed
And, Chloris-like, you bared your whorl of plumed,
Unfurling petals. Lying cheek-to-cheek
We planned our wedding that one final week
Before you left for Washington. And how
We traded kisses… oh, my love! But now…
No more to taste the mornings on your lips,
To welcome sleep, becalmed by your embrace;
No more to feel your arms around my hips,
To hold you close, transcending time and space.
These lonely, restless nights—I feel they’re sort
Of lost in hibernation. I can’t quit
Lamenting that the summer was too short
And that the isolation won’t remit,
I count the days to be with you once more—
Eleven, ten, nine, eight… They slumber through
The calendar—eight, seven, six, five, four…
And I survive by thinking thoughts of you.
Fall 2022
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