sweeping under the table

For lack of words

the poets had written

to describe this evening

i must stop from sweeping the crumbs

beneath the table and leave the broom to fall

and write about departures and how much harder

they are to accept than arrivals.

Arrivals , like the flights announced in the airport

the joy of anticipation, expectations all answered

as if the prayer had been filed, accounted for and answered

as if it was the ending of the time when pacing up and down

the terminal the heart longs so much to fly and escape the narrow gate

that is the chest that aches and longs and wants much more

than the worn out carpet has to offer,

something more than the strangers holding on to their possessions

like the little girl seen walking holding on to her doll

posessions as we once were too

a family , where each belongs to the other

and many things allowed which are not allowed a stranger

like to throw and break and cause ache.

One night he had arrived at the gate unexpected and i had opened

and i had allowed him to enter my secrets and walk upon my dreams

though he was not yeats or any lesser poet

but he was after all a man

and out for all that he could get

and having loaded his wagon

having satisifed he got all he could

and all he ever would

he left

without a word

the silence was the gift

the empty feeling of the hands

no longer held

the lips no longer kissed

the arms no longer missed

and so you mark "departures "

in your book where the column of those

that leave you grows long and winding like the road

that never arrives at a home

where pretty lace curtains play with the wind

as a couple is held in an embrace

and children race to see who is there

no one

the stranger has left

there will come another

in his place

there always is

there always was

there always will be

someone to replace

me

the echo of the words

inside the empty cave

inside my head

the creaking gate

upon which leans my heavy heart

ah,

should have known

would have known

had head connected to heart

had plan had led the expedition

to the land of love.