a good thing happened today
while in some other country
families lie unburied
in the streets:
victims of a war
of nationality and empire
as all wars aremeantime as I walkedby a sunlit canala buoyant young manin a baseball cap stoppedand offered mehis handI took it and shook itthen he bent his headand kissed my handsaid somethingI know not whatwheeled on his heeldidn’t look backand sweet-facedran fast into his futurea woman I barely knowcame up behind meI told her my storyof how my handhad been wordless kissedthen she smiled at meand kissed it too…I’m with himtwice every weekhe’s my chargehe’s so lovelyjust a boyin a man’s bodyI do understand nowhow she feelsshe’s right about himI know for sureat a wretched timewe’ve been beautifully blessedby this lovely boywho’s made a good thinghappen to us both
Jeff Cloves
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