Weeping Willows

‘I am a mechanical engineer.’

in the sterilized halls that have too much light

because the trees planted outside haven’t had enough time

to grow

‘My name is Charles, but I’d like you to call me Chuck.’

and I can’t sleep in a bed and my wound still sits on my leg

a visual manifestation of that disease

and they gave him cherry pie but the soup had barely any meat at all

“I love you.”

“What?”

“I love you, Joanne!”

“Oh honey, I love you too. I miss you.”

because those could be the last words

not a photo op but needing to be documented

is documented by

‘My favorite activity is fishing.’

so he can fish somewhere and sleep in a bed after eating lemon meringue pie under a tall tree with endless time to grow

and the wound will move to hearts left behind