That evening

when we all gathered

when there was    finally   

           only one direction this could go

I held my hand over her heart

and closed her fingers around another—

a heart she’d once given me lavender-stuffed

red velvet LOVE stitched in fine white

           across its belly

we whispered her name

we whispered we are all here 

we listened to the air’s tremble

she half-sat    eyes closed    one leg on the bed

           the other dropped to the floor

twice we tried to raise the foot up

twice she planted it firmly down again

as if to say    I want OUT OF THIS MESS

as if to say  it’s time to write a song      

                     go to a gig          

                                      make love

as if to say    you cannot stop me

                     no one can stop me

                     I am already dancing    

                                                  somewhere else