virtuoso

today i went searching
frantically
through
purse
car
house
clandestine drawer
for a desperately needed
lighter
to facilitate the smoke that soothes my world

my busy hands
found an old black bic
in my geisha box
one that still has your habitual
sink-your-teeth deep in thought
marks on it

you had insisted i take it with me for no good reason
as i left your apartment
on a day i needed anything but fire
years ago

and don’t you know the damned thing still works

but that was your specialty, baby

the right place at the wrong time

a virtuoso of useless gestures