Blue
for Juliet Binoche

i.
candy of memory, candy of forgetfulness
its stick in the fire, in the flames

all that remains of times gone by
of a family which was

ii.
no time to be leisurely, for outings with me

a film in French with subtitles, in the open air
unable to be with me, where is she

items for Independence Day, she’s sewing to sell,
she said

iii.
not to be depended upon, relied on
for certain she'd let you down, let you drop

as nebulous as clouds, to drop through
to drop you, to fall through like rain

strange woman to go with, to be going with
are we going anywhere, getting anywhere

affair of two worlds
involved and uninvolved

iv.
even the secular can aim for the sublime
and reach it, touch it

the secular can touch the roof
of the heart, of the soul

Bach or Beethoven, able to,
with musical fingers

remove cobweb from the ceiling
of the tallest cathedral

Mass of Mozart or his requiem
or that of Gabriel Fauré

one composer or another
will save the day


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2008
9:40 p.m. 26.06.08