no use wishing for a
time machine – I’d like to
think I’d do it differently –
tell her how much I
like her artwork, join her
and denise in easy laughter,
humbly ask her help with
any little dormitory incident,
talk, explore our differences,
work it out, not run away
fine figure of an Indian
gentleman, cowboy hat (smart,
curvey), western shirt (yoked,
piped, embroidered), cowboy boots
(shined, pointy toes), a series of
El Caminos, each slicker than
the last – I heard he roped in
ladies, but even gossips smiled
and nothing seemed to compromise
his posture or his pride
I knew her when her
looks were sharp as knives
her body like a wolverine’s
compact, well muscled, ready for
a fight, whether on the playground
or (more legitimately) on
the court or diamond – years
have softened her, the blurry
photo shows her essential kindness
is more visible through flesh
dragonfly admires her trim beauty
blackbird loves her feathered hair
and sand her skin, coyote
learns a lesson from this
sly trickster, expert at enjoyments,
uncannily self-confident for an 8th
grader – didn’t want a baby
so took charge of contraception –
and why not, too much
fun awaiting, too soon old
a girl from Gaithersburg who
had a talent for embroidery
there’s loose ends to be
woven in between us –
I behaved badly cast myself out
before anyone could cast me out –
I liked her well enough,
just had no knack for friendship,
night skies then were starry,
cold, mute, merciless
mostly legs and coarse black
hair Mongolian cheekbones biscuit
skin strawberry lips a sunny
somewhat vacant smile vision of
her riding past us shocking bareback
at top speed red bandanna
on her head more wild
than any other child of god
last I heard a runaway
lost somewhere in LA
although I hesitate to use
the word, a saint – with
the saintliness of daisies, fresh
air, twilight birdsong, pure and
effortlessly good, adept at ceremonies
from exorcism to wedding and
all in between – presence always
sweet, bemused, unwavering unless
he fell asleep, the heavenly peace
of which his frequent refuge