Dreamz
You wore a sequin dress
kind of see through,
made of brown lace and green iridescent sequins
like what a child imagines fish scales as,
and your earring were soft
yellow gold hoops, hand hewn.
we all sat
at a long wood table
lit with candles down the middle
like the one i have in my house.
You were thinner than you are.
And maybe younger.
You were the way I
imagine you when we are not together.
You were your perfume.
The room opened up behind you,
expanded, as you floated from guest to guest
leaning on this shoulder here
laughing at that joke there
and each person you touched
each person you breathed on
became better.
no, really, it sounds, silly
it does, and i can't be more specific
but they became better.
Their hair shined more.
Their smiles eased
Their hands became soft
lovely creatures
their breath was golden
and the candles did not flicker when they laughed.
You got on the stage and your dress
became black gauze, your hair lengthened then
and turned the color of coffee and heavy cream, sweet.
we all turned to watch you
all at once, in unison
easily together.
You sang then.
You sang like billie holiday
that thin scratchy voice , and
the woman next to me shed a single tear
that slid down her face slowly and
it was a pearl.
kind of see through,
made of brown lace and green iridescent sequins
like what a child imagines fish scales as,
and your earring were soft
yellow gold hoops, hand hewn.
we all sat
at a long wood table
lit with candles down the middle
like the one i have in my house.
You were thinner than you are.
And maybe younger.
You were the way I
imagine you when we are not together.
You were your perfume.
The room opened up behind you,
expanded, as you floated from guest to guest
leaning on this shoulder here
laughing at that joke there
and each person you touched
each person you breathed on
became better.
no, really, it sounds, silly
it does, and i can't be more specific
but they became better.
Their hair shined more.
Their smiles eased
Their hands became soft
lovely creatures
their breath was golden
and the candles did not flicker when they laughed.
You got on the stage and your dress
became black gauze, your hair lengthened then
and turned the color of coffee and heavy cream, sweet.
we all turned to watch you
all at once, in unison
easily together.
You sang then.
You sang like billie holiday
that thin scratchy voice , and
the woman next to me shed a single tear
that slid down her face slowly and
it was a pearl.
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