Evidence & black strings
by Janet Jackson
[ poetry - june 07 ]
Evidence
Only in dream do the children come out first,
lined up, nervous
Only in dream do my enemies look on,
tittering, nudging in new school uniforms
Only in dream my book's blank leaves grow scribbles
crowding out his name.
I draw a box to protect it,
to carry it.
Only in dream is he
taller. Only in dream
are my body's arms around him.
Soft against my cheek, his
tender neckskin, his
fuzzy handknit sweater,
smelling sweet and old
Only in dream is he
silent while I have words.
Does he hear my dreamvoice against his neck?
I can barely speak
My throat is breaking
"I love you"
In my hand,
a leaf to bring back to you!
But surfacing vanishes my scrap of evidence
black strings
his perfect speech
stripped to the waist
his exquisite phrases
jeans tight and damp
his grammar
curls cling to his chest in a lick of new sweat
his diction
hair hangs black strings into his eyes
his pronunciation
steam fizzing off him
resonant vowels, sibilant consonants
touch me, touch me, touch me
