Wyatt Underwood

Odd Nights

Odd, this next -to-last night 

Before I return,

Skillet Nursing Facility to a

Senior Living facility.

I play electronic solitaire til after midnight 

Wake and reach for my phone 

And learn it is five-thirty.

I feel rested anyway.

During the night I dreamed a former friend 

Walked up to me and slugged me in the face.

Blood splattered and I wondered why 

A voice resounded "unprepared as usual"

And l still wondered why 

a sonnet for goodbye

you drove away, I stood outside the cabin and watched

a day earlier, you arrived and jumped into my arms

we hugged and kissed and giggled

almost as if our love were new again

but after supper, we fell into the same old arguments

almost as if we couldn't help it

we said nothing new, we didn't even have new energy

we sat together with nearly a foot between us

it could have been a mile

you stayed the night, and we made love or something like it

but when we slept, you moved a foot away again

I wondered what to say, gave up and slept

this morning, we broke fast almost like strangers

I watched your car til you drove out of sight