GHOST

     for Donald Miller (1923-1985)

I enter each room and see your ghost

I open the bag we packed for the hospital

And never used  Your flask is full of brandy

Its leather marked with your sweat

I look for the face in the rock to show me a sign 

But there's nothing  I feed the bird

Two fish have survived

They come to my hand when I feed them

There is a mouse now

Behind the dresser

Flowering crab has passed full bloom

Petals seep down 

the hillside

I won't live until spring you said

I won't see you grow old

STILL

    for Donald Miller

Incense for the dead

smoke curls

out the window

In his ashes

flecks of

carnelian

seven years

still the goldfish

still impatiens

army coat

still the smell

of his sweat

VEIL

   for Donald Miller 

When

you were 

transformed

into shell

and fine sand

you lay

like a veil

on the bay

before

descending

I want to put

my mouth 

on yours

hear cold

buds 

singing

be warmed

by old suns

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