your name
for me
was different
as were our talks
in the hours
after midnight
conversation
what hangs forever between us
we speak
of Frank Sinatra
Fred Astaire
our lips move
in dialogue
we don’t remember
as our words
evaporate
in the air
but the conversation
we don’t have
hangs forever
between us
afternoon: for Ali
tea glasses empty
talk full
afternoon passes
friend
the surprise conversation: for Kristi
my thoughts
finished
before I think
them
our words
tumble over
each other
in the rush
of familiarity
to say
I know you
an understatement
to say
I’ve found you
a blessing
here
alas adrift
a life jacket
in the immense
sea
friendship
you talk about
everything
and nothing
and somehow
the time flies
till the next time
you talk about
nothing
and everything
the nature of
friendship
conversations with myself
the only person
to talk to
in a land foreign
to my ears
my voice
familiar
in echo
a tanka: on conversation
conversation is
a key to understanding
but only with one
you truly feel desire
to finally understand
on conversation: a tanka for B
finally to talk
to someone about the things
that matter to me
books poetry written words
life beyond life’s drudgery
Leonard Durso 