pica_pica

after making a Thai curry for 'L' last night,
after waking on the couch at 5:00 am (or 4:00 am), alone and cold and confused,
after stumbling into my own bedroom to find my bed warm and occupied by the woman that couldn't wake me at 2:00 (or 1:00) when the DVD had long stopped playing,
after she was up before me and making coffee in my kitchen,
after I sat on my couch beside her, suddenly understanding that it was only 8:00 am and no longer 9:00 am,
after understanding that this next hour that faced us was a special hour because in a way it didn't exist,






















and after she left for church,
after I launched MSN messenger for the first time in months,
after seeing Leah online in months,

I typed

I linger as a leaf lingers
long after its death
long after its outline has been washed away on a sidewalk
long after the beautiful smear of its burnt umber is the
only thing
draining into the gutter.