One Day

One day

one of us

will be lost

to the other

this has been

talked about but

lightly   turning

away   shyness   this

business of con-

fronting the

preference for

survival

          my mother said   the

          children are grown   we

          are both so sick   let us

          die together   my father

          replied   no no   you

          will be well   he lied

of course I

want you in the world

whether I’m in it or

not   your spirit

I probably mean

there is always

something to say   in

the end   speaking

without breath   one

of us will be lost

to the other