She flew away today, leaving me stranded
on another continent, vague and alone.
We have been on different continents before
but as long as it was the same landmass
a few thousand miles seemed quite tractable
for even the roads and railways connected us.
Being on the same continent allows hues of hope
to dawn daily on the horizons of aching hearts.
We have been on different continents before
but our voices had always found each other
at absurd hours and in jetlagged states
our words crawled and held us together.
Our silences were always full of understanding
We nurtured costly silences on international calls.
We have been on different continents before
but this winter the custom shall display her
alignment of planets and parental wishes sway her
to participate in the ritualized embrace of another.
My eyes shall rain icy, salty monsoons and
new oceans will rend my imaginary homelands.
We have been on different continents before
but now on our worlds shall be distant journeys
our silences will intersect, but never meet, and
from the womb of past "us" emerge a stillborn "I".
Dec 12/13, 2005
