"up the ladder, over the moon"

Is a kiss real

Or is it the image of Bacall

Her hand reaching up around behind Bogart’s

Neck drawing him in?

I sat on the roof last night and watched the full moon

It was so bright and cold.

I remembered a sign on a bathroom door in a diner

In New York City back in nineteen seventy four

That read, “For Customers Only”.

I remembered our relationship or what I thought was our relationship

Thought about it for two minutes and then thought

that was how long our relationship really was.

I then thought of melodies not lyrics

But notes that string together that have evoked great and wondrous sadness

And at the same time joy. I hummed them and became sad and happy at the same time.

I thought of my son and you and you and you. I wondered where you all were.

Just then Bacall reached behind my neck to draw me in

To bring my lips to hers, and I just knew
I was alive.