nothing broke
that wasn’t already breaking
nothing lost
that wasn’t already almost gone
those years
like an eternity
left their marks
on heart on soul
and yet
I would gladly relive them
if only to taste
the sweetness
in your smile
LA
something else
the mornings
were almost perfect
in those LA days
but the nights
oh the nights
were something else
we climbed the rocks
it was
at that steak house
on the coast
we climbed the rocks
later
after having surf & turf
and talked
more or less
about the state
of our ununion
funny
how little remains
in my memory
just a faint taste
of lobster
the sound
of waves
hitting rock
and the sad smile
slowly fading
from your lips
Frank in LA, a thousand years ago: talkin’ to the moon
there they are
the lemon slices
lined up
the salt shaker
Cuervo Gold
cracked open
and him
bound
and determined
to finish it
this sitting
the dog
curled up
watching
albums
against the wall
the turntable
in motion
and memory
of hard promises
made
in the night
later
watching the dog
claim possession
of the backyard
there
he stands
numb
to the world
numb
to her memory
saying
his mind
to the moon
Malibu, 1978: for Maureen
the cable car
up
the Pacific
below
white wine
clean chicken bones
espresso
bourbon
a breeze
to cool
one’s heart
so very long
ago
Leonard Durso 