Feeling Him Close - Margaret Barkley

[Lawrence Robinson]

Feeling Him Close
 
Death slouched outside my
window last night,
leaning against the wall
acting as if he had all the time in the world.
 
All night I felt him there
as I floated at the top layer of sleep
with my hand on my beloved’s broad chest.
I wasn’t afraid that he was coming for us.
I knew that he just wanted me to feel him close.
 
Some of the people he visits, he walks right in
and sits at their supper table
so they can smell his breath
real close up.
 
Last night death loitered by my house,
but he didn’t come in, I was glad
he wouldn’t be getting in bed with us
just yet.
Somehow I knew that much.
 
My friend thought she knew that, too
and then one day he showed up in a scan of her body,
all of a sudden.
Now she doesn’t seem to mind
that he drapes himself on her sofa
or that he likes to stroke her hair.
She made friends with him right away,
and though they are an odd couple,
her looking so healthy and all,
we are getting use to their relationship.
 
She is actually glowing,
and the more he hangs around,
the more we can accept his good points
like one of those handsome bad boys with a heart of gold,
the ones that take you in a fast car
to places you never thought you could go.
 
He might decide he wants to take her away
which would break our hearts,
but she smiles and tells us that
it’s only a matter of time –
he will take us all.

	- Margaret Barkley