Gone Baby Gone

It left me long ago after
My skin fell off like citrus peels.
It dusted off the flesh juice
And took my hands explaining
just in case I meet
someone.

It went to Angune, Alaska,
using all my welfare checks
and brought in a truck from
Juneau to chase down the grizzly bears

It smoked with fishermen,
laughing hard, trading hats
until one by
One they fell asleep
Dreaming in dollar pop vodka,
Basketball, and fish scales.

It remembered melted things
our booby traps and color wars
Hating the cello, loving ballet
And having to give up both.

It tasted the cold blue babble
Of The Secret Garden and
longed for dark-haired firebrands
who could write well and sing
well and look well and hold well
- it was so in love.

I waited for it to return
To me, I waited for nine long
years. The only thing I have
Is a postcard with it smiling,
My hands giving two thumbs up