Cohen

August 23, 2016/October 16, 2016

My bookmark is a band aid
a fortuitously meaningful sign
in a Book of Longing
reminder of the reparations
of my whole life
for example that time
1970 maybe
when she asked me if
I liked Cohen and I
had to say No right away
after all we were working
that’s just an excuse
a band aid over
you know
suppose I’d said Yes
that would have led me
straight to her
I don’t even remember her name
or anything else about her
just that she was the one
and only goddess of my life
the one who shows up
through all the long story
every bus stop and chance encounter
how could I possibly
have admitted Cohen’s heart
cracked open
without turning directly
to her limbs and hair?
how could I only just see it
at five in the morning
a full leaking life later?