In the Dream You are Not Dead

Ellen Kombiyil

-for Paul

around me there’s the sound of chopping
manufactured people once known are
dancing no sweat no smell it’s an old dream
something once remembered and you are not
dead a vision of frivolous spinning
diamond lights on the dance floor you are
not frowning you’re looking into the frame
of someone else’s photo there’s the here
and not-here here I see you not-here
you are looking into the drawn back through
the tunnel black where I can embrace you
the world not yet beginning to close where
you emerge smiling and whole I tell
you I’ve missed you with my heart not my words
because in the dream you are the word for
both longing and sorrow and I claim you
now with my silent mouth