LONGING

DONNA MASINI

Once we were together

I missed just sitting beside him, in a crowded

room, say, his sleeve rolled

just below the elbow, the muscle

swelling. It was promise, it was Catherine and

Heathcliff, the phone call that might

come. Then it was just another part of him.

Just an arm. But just

now I thought of him, I thought yes, the arm.

His arm. His arm.

Now that it’s over it is luminous again.