Winning the Log Game
You balanced so easily that last day
Playing the log game
Without saying a word
While I took photos for the
Remembrance of all the times
You invented rules for us
To keep our balance the length
Of a tree and another and another
When you said in your insistent manner
And small child's voice
That I was to hold your hand
But wasn't to step on the sand
But you could whenever you had to
If it was only one foot at a time
As we kept our balance the length
Of a beach and another and another
And you said in your confident manner
And doubtless voice
That I was to lift you across
When the gap where one tree ends
And another doesn't start
Was too long for you to reach
But I could reach across for you
By stretching, standing
On one leg, one log
As we kept our balance the length
Of a day and another and another
While you said in your assured manner
And growing voice
That I was to watch and follow you
Now and copy every move in your
Choreography or it would be
As if I had stepped onto the
Forbidden sand and the whole point
Was to see if you could dislodge, undo me
As we kept our balance the length
Of a year and another and another
Until we reached as far west as time
Would take us to that last long beach
With all the logs in the world piled to the trees
When you said in your detached manner
And silent voice
That you would do this alone,
Feigning indifference equally towards
My photos and our memories
As we found our balance the length
Of a life and another and another~~.