love in the now

“Not part of the past after all”

leather did little to cut the wind – winter close – blue bridge above – crackling brittle underfoot

warm kitchen – dense food

to be here – under the plane tree – is it any wonder we wore a mask

She slept
He walked

How do we go back – to what came before – how does time reverse

we can’t stroll the cobbled hopes of our youth when love was breathless and hope an abstract painting propped up by government grants

How large is your closet – now – filled with boxes: shelves: post-consumer plastic containers: bags – school mask = dating = sex for the first time =relationship/heartbreak/breakup/dating =jobjobjobjobjobjob= mask – mask hiding pain – not part of the past after all