Two Beach Towels
for G.M.

occurring so near, sweet soul mate

who has my towel though
which she replaced with hers

what should have happened
there on Varadero Beach
or after, at the hotel and didn't

we should have exchanged
her great big beach towel for mine

rather than theft, rather than stolen
rather than some thief having it
rather than her or me

rather than it having gone missing
from the beach
like missing tooth, like missing teeth

I complaining to her
and in empathy she, immediately,
giving me one of hers
or one of her kidneys

like I was alive at present, alive since
because of organ she gave me

after we're married
who else can we marry
how else can we marry

met her with husband
met her with two daughters

we had our ceremonies
on the bus, on the beach
in the sea, wherever we met
and whenever we met in Cuba

made certain we connected
like hose to faucet
to extend the reach of life
to extend the life of plants
to extend the plan of life


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
1:36 p.m. 06.09.10