When we met

I.
the night a chase
my heart a captive
the mind hidden somewhere
and truth would not
say otherwise.
events would break us
into…

I turn to find the memory of you;
magnificent in graduate school poverty,
tall angles of scholar and athlete.
you’d sluice the Pleiades someday -
all that could be desirable
given my conditioning,
I love/d you.

II.
the night a hallow’s eve chase
our hearts costumed and captive
the mind forgotten somewhere
and truth dared not
say otherwise.
events would break us
into…

I still feel the memory of you;
your dreams left in cartons with the books,
your hair cut for a night guard job,
reading Kant until dawn.
aloofness became our mutual persona,
conditioning turned us away.
I love/d you.

III.
A divorce years ago,
now longer than marriage
but the cantos of your memory
voice the silence
that slices me
into
shadows,
restless with regret.
I love/d you.