it was lying in wait
behind the locked bottom drawer
in my antique roll top desk
how many years it has hidden i’m unsure
waiting for a thorough spring cleaning
al green was behind me singing
let’s stay together
during the scene
a picture of us
standing on a yellow bridge
in pittsburgh
you
white panama wearing
green eyes staring
straight into the camera content
smiling
showing no teeth
never the teeth
it would reveal too much
me leaning into you
head beneath your chin
my delicate chiffon
safely held in your arms
gazing into blue river waters
that had not yet forgotten the sea
as though you were my savior
and i
your long suffering mary magdalene
so trusting
bad pimp and unwilling prostitute
the only thing you have in common with god
is that you aren’t real
i held that fucking picture in my hand
saying aloud to my photographed self
you should have jumped