erato

you light this crystal wood and copper dream room 
with voice of golden evening
stage lights reveal that old familiar face 
but you are transformed 

the girl picking petals from her scarf
the girl who had me in her closet
right where she wanted
where i wanted
til the fear wriggled me free regardless

reappearing now
you've watched them strollin hands down the promenade
you've watched them strut and cluck round the yard
and round the world a few times over
sundown here to a sunup there

pulled all the strands of streamers
left lying in the cobblestone dawn
weaved them with the voices of the night's joy
that collected in your throat, begging to be sung

did the road grant you this gift?
to patrol the morning
to extract the odes
must be you had it always
and i didn't know the incantation
to be given audience

but i am now
5 dollars at the door
a steal
grateful i get to do you this service and collect the cover
rather than pay it

it's really more simple than all this though
you grew your hair to put the wind through
you went into the wind
and were lifted