we try to understand

as the golden palm trees bend over to listen
to whisper something foreign
to grasp the empty space within coordinates

i wish you were closer

a warm scent strung from the ceiling
to envision that which escapes to that special somewhere
long enough to figure out where to place both feet
so as to say no, i don't want to
but yes, we have to

a long street in a big city, lined with tall brick buildings
and you're looking from above
he's walking away
she's just standing there, she never calls him
he never stops
they both try to understand
not make the same mistakes next time around

is that what this is all about?

years later, in rome, a 13 year old boy writes a song for a girl that smells like the sun
and it's there again
bold, outrageous, compassionate
and the world remembers
we try to understand
enjoy those last evenings after yoga trying not to talk about it, just knowing

how reckless to be human