Sunday, July 22, 2007

Birthday Presence

It was my birthday yesterday.

I turned 26 with flowers, hiking in Muir Woods, a cookbook and anthology of quasi-erotica, tapas

and chocolate mousse to inaugurate my continued becoming.

Few friends called. Grief.

My mom made a trip up to celebrate with me and

I leaned close to her skin every chance I got—closer than before.

By pushing away the inches between our faces I became a warrior

on the battlefield of things- slipping -away:

my leaning

a shield

mother daughter breaths waltzing in midair

knives cutting through the enemy of distance.

Her Friday night theology put Amos, Ike and Zeek to shame. Grace.

She drove away, after kissing my cheek with force this morning.

I watched the white SUV—that I’d deplore anyone else for driving—cruise down

Le Conte slowly and fingered eye sockets for fear of control loss.

Ten minutes later I found a project to do

in this empty apartment and poems snowflaked from on high

while Sade’s King of Sorrow cooed my silly little sadnesses

back to their sleepy places.

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