i.
they always come at the end
if they come at all
when you near the close
of a seesaw chapter
and find yourself righted
a balancing act of equal weight
that used to be too light
that used to be too heavy
but now is steady
now it’s steady
ii.
arriving in the form of a cellular phone
…a pulse
it feels so good to breathe again
to have oxygen
to wake up in the morning
with a reason, a new season
a summer in winter
a spring in the fall
blood flow in a body
that was getting too cold
ice to the touch
blue to the gaze
iii.
where has time gone?
those hours and moments
simple and few
of magic and gold
a vanishing act
of lovers and thieves
of wine and sheets
of meet and greets
of up-and-down sleeps
of crest and troughs
of taking and leaving
of quiet doorsteps
and silent exits
iv.
breath became air
but the air is different here
there are no curly cues
or luscious lips
and there are no just-closed doors
that re-open with smiles
or faux looks of annoyance
that turn into dimples
there are no stairs to walk up
no steps to descend
to heavens and gates
that angels let in
v.
but there might be