Poem for Edward

it was a crowded night

with all of us sitting on the green street stairs

the long string of lights wrapped

around the gray city planes

and to your feet

gathering

edward

 

edward who was seen the first day, and discounted
and edward who's story made her laugh out loud, eyes on her, but still
and edward who picked up a girl in ten minutes on muni
and edward who is narcissus, growing in the refracted light of pupils
and edward who is luminous and carnal
and edward who is a direction in which distant silent flashes, inauspicious slate
and edward who has written a love poem
and edward who knows they kiss the same

of course the christinas

christina who just wants a little intelligent conversation
and christina staring at the planes of steps, leg, building, wall, face
and christina who laughs too loud, echoing cement
and christina who wants to slip her cold hand in his pants
and christina who lives in the smell of lilacs, muddy spring of attenuated torment
and christina can almost smell your hair
and christina, arrogant bitch who thinks she's brilliant, and keeps asking these questions

unabashed

they were all pushing each other, and brushing against each other and avoiding each other and somebody got aroused and somebody got offended and a fight broke out and surreptitious sex against a burnt out light post occurred and somebody lit somebody's cigarette and somebody said something they oughtn't and felt embarrassed and two people felt cold

the cement was cold

where the bay bridge lights

hit the water

where eyes hit hand

hanging loose

from knee

pointing at twelve fifteen, late

 

where the top of the bridge
hit the fog

a lot of work in the morning

in between
that chain
of lights
and
the pitch
waters

we fail