passed in the spiraled paper book by the senior stairs
and it reads:
i thought i knew you
thought i knew your babied eyes
your honey hair, freckles on shoulders
we had dinner together
and in tricks or treating
you lay with me on the couch, answering the door
staying up late, baking brownies
and when i knew you, i thought life
existed beyond my time, to the roots of the houseplants
to the roots of the cold trees
the water ran down their bark, down their leaves
and i knew you then
i thought i did
i thought you held my hand in tears
under the table, not speaking
barely breathing
the land turning so dark, but the sky still white and blue
and no sun to be found
and no heat left in the world
the only sounds were the breeze and a barely audible train whistle
or in the park by the baseball diamond
why was the bench still warm?
who was i courting?
perhaps your cousin, your sister,
you trickster
i do not know you, we have never met
my face flushes like an oven mitt pressed against
singed metal over the burner
used to melt a pat of butter in a sauce pan
we've never met, and this plate of brownies
is for you, love