to say what can comfort
i want to hear the sound
to smell the dust to burn my
hands on smoking steel to
pick up papers in the street
to watch the falling bodies
pour water on the fire stare
at firemen staring at the
pile to see the plume of ash
rise up like prayer and fall
upon the river oh people
dead and dying people harmed
my citizens my hopeless ones
my widows orphans cousins brides
and fathers in an empty house
my helpless eyes keep wandering
in montreal we watch for you
i answer the silent phone again
the mailbox empty maybe later
around the corner coming near
we expect you at sunset sweet and rosy
the couple in the movie crying
in my sleep my useless twitch
through the day yearning to join
you somewhere to be your refuge
to warm my arms upon your shoulders
there in autumn before the fall
to eat the latest last final moments
of sweet life with you and say
goodbye till we meet again
to wave and glance and nod
and have a vision of you happy
working in the dawn

thursday
11 october 01
35
Patrick Smith