I'm No Jonah

((For Chaim, from whom I steal a line.)

This is not for you)

There is no Jonah for this raging sea
There is no Navidson for this house of leaves.

I walked that same damn strand that we did when we came here.
There were no local kids to pull our asses outta the sand for 20 bucks this time,
there's never anyone to pull you outta there when it really matters.

I'd walk off the edge of the pier if I thought it would calm this tidal wave inside me.
If I thought it would close the gaping closet door for once and for good.

But nothing's for good any more. And very little is for once.

I walked that same damn strand that we did when we came here,
and you came to join me. Not some memory. Not a ghost.
It was you. Corpus animusque.

And we came upon the rock where we sat and where I kissed you
and where you said, I love you, and where I didn't say a damn thing.
And that's where you left me, searching for words proper,
grasping at nothing but memories I'd prefer to forget.
But I'll never forget you.

And I said, 'come let us sit, because my legs are suddenly heavy with memories.'
and I sat and the tide came in and carried me away.

There is no Jonah for this raging sea.
There is no Navidson for this house of leaves.