Another time, perhaps

We couldn’t have done different
every misstep, every haltingly spoken word
when I think of the past, sometimes,
eyes water

Out back, this western scrub-jay luxuriates
splashing in and out of the water, bathing, trilling
nearly the same time everyday, no matter the weather
bath water

We too are creatures of habit
and so what if our habits have led us here
splashing in our baths, feeling out
the water

And now I’m thinking of that Alice
who drank and grew and shrank
and floated away on her own tears
salt water

Yes, I want to say, so many yes
and yet the yes doesn’t seem enough
two boats drifting away across
wide water

Maybe at some far time
when the fog of war collapses
our warm hands will clasp
bridge water