Time Enough

 

I was downstairs in the
Darkness.  There wasn’t
much in the kitchen since
Susan moved out, died
Actually, unless this was
A dream.  Someone was
In the house which was

Alarming since neither Ben
Nor Duffy barked which
Inclined me toward the dream
Hypothesis.  I switched on the
Lights.  I had a gun I didn’t
Remember taking.  “Come out
Come out, whoever you are,”

I called toward the darkness
Down the hall.  There was a
Rustling in the curtain by the
Patio door.  I walked closer.
The door was open so I switched
On the lights and looked
Out.  There was a rustling

In the trees among the leaves.
“Who are you,” I called upward
Not expecting an answer?  “Your
Best chance is to move on,” a
Voice I used to know spoke down.
“Come down.  Let’s talk.  I won’t
Shoot you.”  At that a lithe form

Dropped lightly to the ground
Bearing a startling resemblance
To Susan as she looked when
I first knew her.  “Who are you,”
I demanded?” “Don’t you know?”
“You can’t be as you seem.”
“You can’t be,” she countered

“The man I loved was as young
As I am now.  Who are you?”
“Someone dreaming, I suppose,”
I sighed, laying my gun on
The patio table and sitting down.
“Why have you come,” I asked,
Half knowing the answer? 

“Not something I chose.  I was
In your eyes as you see.  You
Can’t come back to me and if
I try as I did to come here to be
With you, I fade.  I haven’t the
Strength to last this long.  There’s
An owl up there,” she gestured.

“A large one.  Don’t let Duffy out
Until its gone.”  “And will you go
As well,’ I asked?  “It’s all a jumble,
Being as I was instead of who I became.
You did enough.  You can let me go.
It’s all as it should be, even the
Sorrow.  I didn’t need it to know

What you felt all those years.
It was clear. Look at all these
Weeds,” she said gesturing about
“Don’t let everything go.”  I
Looked back and saw Duffy and Ben
At the open door, Ben watching me,
Duffy her.  Later on we slept.