Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Seeking Closure

The inconvenient memories
always pop up at night,
maintaining a nocturnal
subconscious
existence despite my many
attempts
to smother them
in my sleep.
 
I’d have thought by now
they’d have forgotten
your unengaged eyes,
the pinch of your face,
the silent stinging tongue
and sideways slaps
to the ear, boxing
out the last founding fibers
of love?

It seems an embarrassing lie
now
to say we were happy once.  
It took three
days to consummate a vow
we both made with our fingers
crossed,
not hearts.

So why the constant recall?
What wrong need
I right
in my Borges parallel life?
We walked away clean
rings hawked, spirits freed.
No further exorcism required.

But
etched
and even more vivid
than the ochre outline
of the sun inside my eyes
something lingers
in the secrets and truths
of dreams
demanding I answer to one
simple word,
forgiveness.

~A. Rae Sterling