For Josie
I. AT THE TABLE
my name in your mouth is

                                                appalling

my name in your mouth is

                                                exceptional

my name in your mouth is

                                                overwhelm

my name in your mouth is

                                                you

and my name in your mouth is

                                                why

why why

II. IN THE LIVING ROOM
a hole no bigger than a pencil

than my snappiest fingerbone

and the darling   the snub and corny

darling   never a word expected

gone.

          we find our kindness   our children

our warm sand company   our best strange

at the littlest scale of living

things that think unlike our most loving.

floorboards   like muscovado sugar

melt. and stick. and sweep. and burn. like tears

in rope   someone else was holding. gone.

III. AND THEN THEY REALIZED
[   ] is like

is

like a room when the moment when

the forbidden terrier

jumps reckless of injury

opens the door at a silent rush

bedside   kneels up folds paws

turns a stern eye on the feverish patient

and the ghost of the dirty-faced heedless boy

and the work-pale girl who does not mean well
[   ] is like

is

like a family when the time when

the ingenious labrador

races into the car

dangling the pit viper he caught

live   as a gift

and delighted by the shrieking

brings more and more

activity snakes to his pack
[   ] is like

is

like a road when like the winter when

the molossive pupper

herds the determinedly solitary walker

happily

to be even more happily

unnecessarily

saved

in the snow