Lapse

I can’t see the widow in the garden
her bright scarf grinning in the sun

I don’t recall the swarm of fish—
the garish mouths, the little gasps of mud

I’ve forgotten the dice box of thumbs
their flight, their fret and clatter down the hall

I’ve stopped thinking of the sea of thought
the weak peaks, flotsam in the swells

I can’t remember that particular
grey light (you know the one)
that lingers on the pavement and
keeps the day from warming

—KEVIN CONNOLLY

(Originally published Christmas, 2002.)

Author Bio

Kevin Connolly lives in the Danforth Village. He is a poet and a part-time word wrangler. His third collection of poems, Drift, was published in 2005 by Anansi, and was the winner of the Trillium Book Award for Poetry. He is also the author of the poetry collections Happyland (ECW, 2002) and Asphalt Cigar (Coach House, 1995). (Last updated Christmas, 2007.)

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