Toque

No cloud, the drop of a penny, a sign from the sky.
Nothing stark as that would
mark this walk our last together—
                                               nothing subtle either.
Not the wide-porch houses I had often
spoken of liking.
Not the bench in the park, the
sugar maple trees,
                                      their leaves.
Not the woollen toque you brought
along in case of rain.

Except that I was longing for you to give it to me,
                                 as tender—and thought that mere
desire would suffice.

—ELANA WOLFF

(Originally published Christmas, 2004.)

The famous Taddle Creek end note

Author Bio

Elana Wolff lives in Thornhill, Ontario. Her most recent collection of poetry is Startled Night (Guernica, 2011). She has contributed to the magazine since 2000. (Last updated summer, 2010.)