reunion saints

You say, "When I knew you then, I said it'd be like
an abyss or an architecture; there would be silences,
but oh! they'd be noisy!" And I liked that, when I
knew you then.
--
My balcony housed bumblebees;
they came for my morning glories
and you teased them with your
architectural pens & eyeglasses,
ridiculous Spanish mules and gaudy
paint colours you teased me with your
panacea tongue, purple teeth.
--
Call me twenty, but I'm eighteen,
flingin' off words on your lint-carpet,
into the cigarette-butt planters, and
over your shoulder; staining the grey
fabric all down your back. I write
words all down your back.

And I say, "When I knew you
then, I liked you for your sharp
penmanship and the quirks
collected around your mouth.
And you said when we met again
we'd be twenty,as gaudy and
architectural as ever, but
I'm eighteen, and our silences are
grey with stranger-noise.