Turn Away

There was a beginning once upon a time
when we turned stones and heads
the leaves atop the maples were still green, then
You left. The leaves withered and died and dropped
from the sky in which you once flew
upon new silver wings and white gloves
you didn’t intend to come back for long, just
a brief hello every once in a while then a flight back to
your perch in the mountains, it awaits you

When you would return, you were welcome
but as things wore thinner and the days shorter
doors came closer and closer to slamming and locking and
if we peered under the door we could see each other
crying and wishing the door wouldn’t shut but I could have
taken the opportunity and tap it closed, like the scars
from the giant gashes made into our hearts’ intricate tracings
it was then the trees were most bare and cold and
stones turned to boulders that I’m still trying to turn over

The blood has sealed and scabbed and remains for
future reference, in case the revolutions spun us off balance
tread lightly because we tread on eggshells of steel
strong as anything until scratched upon and worn thin
like snow when stomped on and melted from human breath
revealing the tips of green daffodil shoots and leaf buds
on undead trees, let’s learn from example
grow from the hole in the ground to sisters again

The revolutions are supposed to be getting quicker and tighter
spinning the days faster, but they’re still just as long as those
in December when the darkest nights seeped through the doors
that almost got slammed and locked, and they will never be
until the day you return and we forgive everything
enough nights have passed with my soured tears

Do your windows get rained on too, or just mine, and do they
leak onto cheeks that smile into your pillow at night?
Mine do. Keep them to the trees and watch
as the maples re-grow leaves, remember to
fly high upon your silver wings and white gloves
If you will it, love, then please turn away