Colleen J. McElroy, “Remarks Beneath the Visiting Moon”

tell me how you get here I say
I want the map to keep in my head
tell me when do you turn inland
off the highway and what
houses what lights lead the way
tell me how you remember and what
lets you navigate I want
to be with you when the road
curves bends and dances

in the rearview mirror
tell me if my smell taste
lingers on your mouth hands
tell me how I fall into
the shape of your words
your breath beside me
on the pillow tell me how
in the dark I can write
your name shamelessly on every

window tell me how
I can assume the shape of your
body holding me tell me I say
I am hopelessly helplessly
in love at 60 still going on 16
and no sunset moonrise will
ever be the same

From Sleeping with the Moon, which also includes “Photolinen: La Push Beach.” Older poems published in Ploughshares include “Paris Subway Tango” and “Caution: This Woman Brakes for Memories.”

11 November 2007 | poetry |