love's memory
thousands of miles
and three stories ago,
I feared losing
and two thousand miles
and six aching feet ago
I feared you'd never return;
faith is hard as the arc
of unknown velocities. your
memories are distant, now.
I cannot feel the shape of your hand in mine.
yet I'll know you when you return,
every scent, breath, each movement
of hand against earth memorized
and then forgotten once more.
Faith is the memory of a lingering kiss,
a firefly spark in the darkness,
as easy as ringing bells in the cathedral
as difficult as the silence after.
--10/5/00, for all those who returned.