1
you don’t come in night dreams instead your image flashes
in bright light as I walk the dog around the pond
you pedal past gleaming sweat feet a blur head lowered
against the wind your demons in close pursuit
you never had a neutral gear
2
i lift a banana pudding from the oven and
you appear wielding a spoon to reach around me
stab at the meringue shovel hot sweetness into your mouth
turn the spoon on me paint my lips with sticky
confection as my arms fly up in surrender
the taste lingers as you fade away like so much mist
3
at the bistro by the sea i glance up to see your
handsome face lined with lightening bolts of the storms that rage
in your beautiful head you smile flirt with the pretty
brunette who sets down your perrier
you wink and call her darlin’ i study the menu
and look up to see only the surf slapping the pier
4
in the sunroom you sit ankle over knee in the
yellow chair across from mine heel pumping the floor as
you swipe a hand through tight brown curls
pale green eyes the color of mine fix a question
that hangs in the air between us what will happen next?
the answer comes at your deathbed when your heart slows stops
and nothing remains but the artificial rise and fall of your chest
© 2016 cj Schlottman
