what you need: 7/27/06
four out of five faces on the wall
looking me in the eye in the middle
of a full-frontal parisian dream—
you peel out from the wall & i know
what you’re trying to say.

guess i’m not good enough for you
either, but i’ve always thought it was
gold that you lacked— not meaning,
but truth; not substance, but shine.

& was it really this morning that i
realized why i was still alive? is it too
late to recall already?

& now i remember turning my head to
see the raindrops on the window
glistening in the dusty green light & i
was grateful for a moment when i could
realize that it was good i hadn’t changed
my mind about these sixteen years.

my smile this morning was grateful, even
at 6:45.

& was it just tonight that i had you on my
mind? was it tonight that when she called
him beautiful i smiled & knew only you?

& was it tonight that i danced?