Although Many Things
   Make Me Nervous and Sad

It was an unamusing game: He pulled me to his chest

while I yelled, then pushed me back again,

and pulled in again, and pushed back again,

so that soon I knew it was not life but some other story,

some other sort of place. It’s where we keep repeating

those strange gestures and noises, this time

I make it to the water pipe in time to cut her down,

and we all fall giggling to the floor. My very tall friend

is there, soon he gets cast in the role of a lifetime,

as Jesus and also news anchor. Good jobs and large salaries

are awarded to those who deserve them, even Maureen. Everyone

who moved away from my house because I was sleeping

or eating or clawing my face too much to notice the packing,

leaps from the shadows, shouting Surprise. With the explicit

exchange of forgiveness, shame lies back on a pillow.

The man I was yelling at has calmed me at last,

and that was his intention, I now see. His long fingers

heal my cheeks with a touch, this is very important as well as

unlikely.