it was a very hot
the day he decided to stay
in the air-conditioning clean house
do something with those memories
the faces of old letters neatly creased
like favorite shirts all keepers
despite the stains of pain still there
under the dust of tenderness
that old clock to catch planes together
two dog toys lacking ears or tails
a four-legged child both adored
that couldn’t be split in two
and pictures tongues and ugly faces
smiles with arms high and wide
fingers curled around shoulders
lips touching suddenly too warm
like bare feet on a molten sidewalk
or the raven’s black tongue
panting through a black beak
no relief from the shade of trees
not that he noticed that outside
while on this inside trip into the past
this first box enough for one day
though he suspected
he’d be on the road again
when he closed his eyes