You are a different person in the morning:

Your eyes lack that playfulness

that spark

is replaced instead

with an intensity that seems to

underlay

some kinda intelligence deep into Earth

Your lips lack that smile

that impish grin

is replaced instead

with a sternness that seems to

reveal

some of your mortal worries.

Your movement lack that stealth

the usual energy

is replaced instead

with deliberate movement, like wading

very carefully

through this subterranean world.

You cut into the omelet with such

careful precision  

sip your coffee with such care

measuring each centigrade with your lips

it shocks me for a moment

realizing that maybe I don't really know you

after all.

But then as always you read my mind

from across the breakfast table

easing once again into that brilliant smile

for a second, before

returning to buttering a slice of toast

just to let me know it's still you

my favorite King Kong.

I. Lightning Arc

A few inches shorter than me, but
stronger, your arms and
more piercing your eyes.

Arch of brows like lightning.

Your shoulders equally broad as mine -

I hope that nothing changes between us.



II. Corals

In your lightning-arched brows
I see myself
a figure
leaning forward
to write down this
observation:

reaching into your submarine heart
wading, searching, my
musician fingers
finding
beneath the waters
hoping
not to touch
those spiny-thorn
urchins
while reaching for
those majestic

corals.



III. Musician Fingers

Too careful with my fingers
I did not remember to
unfurl
Realizing too late that
a coral held too stubbornly
by impatient hands...

it too can become an urchin.

Unfurl now...

Maybe one day my
musician fingers
can shape these corals
into lotuses.


***

(from the Atlas' Hands series)


The way your hair moves

when you move:

It is confidence.

And I am the wind

beside you.


The way your hands held

the Heart of a Boy

when no one else would:

It burns brightly now.


The way you held the World in your Womb...


But now:

Rest your shoulders

put aside your sword-armor

and Look:

See that Star in the Night?

It is the man in me

looking back at you:


Woman.

Today at lunch I saw

a child crawling on the floor

of Coffeebean at the Gardens -

the young father chased after,

bent down to pick his kid up, but:

I saw the father stop, and

run his hand through the child's hair

slowly

really

taking note of the wavy strands of

innocence.

First time maybe.

Baby.

Today at lunch I saw

a woman in her power work suit

limping

I presume it was polio that got her right leg

Looks like.

Who would have known -

if all you got to see of her was

waist-up?

Today after lunch I saw

a pretty girl a little too thin

a little too

scarcely clothed, maybe her first time

she walks self-consciously

still

unsure of her body.

I smile at her and she smiles back at me

Hesitantly.

I'm off to see a client of mine

who's rich but hurting inside -

she just doesn't know it yet -

Lucas said.

I had never seen you this angry

before

nor imagined

you capable

of such a thing.

That morning:

while you were adjusting your tie

standing in front of the mirror

I'd stopped behind you

decided to

rest the side of my face

between

your shoulders

leaned my weight against yours...

Held you for a moment.

You continued adjusting your tie

with an ease that reminded me of

unwavering fields of paddy, or

the calm of a rain forest, or

simpler times, or...

You asked me if I were okay

if thunderclouds were all

I’d foresee today

gathering, then

dispersing

But I

guess I was just

happy to see you.