Will You Go Now
will you go now
will you choose
this
as your time
to leave
us
and all of this
cacophony
You are our
one and only,
dad —
you know —
you were the king
the ruler
that informed
and confounded
all our feminist leanings
into and away
We know what the headlights
look like
the arc of them
across the tan curtains
sundowner hour
The hand maidens
roused
the tinkle of ice
in cut glass
the brown slippers
at the lazy boy
He lives, he is here
he is in our midst
we must be perfect
turn the lights
way down low
Ella and Louie
play that song
We stand alert
in formation
eventually
he is at the door
wearing careful hidden
boisterous love
without language
wicked silver haired
shorter than you would expect
One by one
we stand on our toes
(we are all shorter than you would expect)
get the royal kiss
right there on the practiced cheek
We worshipped you
dad
we wholesome
worshipped you
we couldn’t reach you
most times
until now
just before you go
You regret, you regret
you say, the gaps
in your love
I was not perfect
but we forgive
and forgive
torrents of it
there is more than
enough
this love
You did good dad
you did good
The king is dead
long live the king
this same one
we are inseperable
love forever
will not be severed.