In the Bus

Somewhere between Greenfield and Holyoke

snow became rain

and a child passed through me

as a person moved through mist

as the moon moves through

a dense cloud at night

as though I were cloud or mist

a child passed through me

On the highway that lies

across miles of stubble

and tobacco barns our bus speeding

speeding disordered the slanty rain

and a girl with no name   naked

wearing the last nakedness of

childhood   breathed in me

                    once   no

                    two breaths

a sigh   she whispered   Hey you

begin again

                    Again?

again   again   you’ll see

it’s easy   begin again   long ago