she was once his father’s lover 

rendered in a portrait unseen
nights like these
late and inky and full of spleen
she remembers frothy beginnings
she remembers the barbed wire ends
how distance will grow like mold on a tree
when she is expected to
remember free
when she has ejected false memory 
it arrives like a low-lying hawk in flight
how she took the boy to Coney on
the pirate ship ride
when he was smaller than she
childlike, eternal, funneled and frightened 
the fearful mother
what each woman is certain
she will always know
no matter the clutter of sons and daughters
or nothing to show
he was her son, her pirate in tow
until trapped like rats on a towering stage
she bellowed her anger
the two of them caged
take us down
take us down
she shouted from heights
a long silent ride from the island of mirth
that night in her rooms when they fell down to earth
together forever for what is worth
still determined he said
that grown up child of dissent
back to the past’s reality berth
but I am still determined he said to see you at your convenience 
let me know when, she said
let me know when it will work

 

8.20.22

nyc