are not comfortable beside mine. On the bus,
pulled forward by gentle inertia,
a hundred of us sway, or sigh, is that it,
what we do in the moment, in that air
that is too cool. Listen,
I want to say to you, dear heart,
imperfect flesh, blue eyes,
abused elbow and plaintive knees—
listen, I want to breathe in
the world that is falling apart.
I am too old to learn
your name in any language
other than this one. I am

Paul Guest, I am looking forward to your birthday
and the long chain of fitful celebrations
that will follow and be broken

Should the painful condition of irreversible paralysis 
last longer than forever or at least until