Your House (after Ch’ang-Kan Village Song – Li Po)

Your House                   (after Ch’ang-Kan Village Song – Li Po)

My mother cut my hair:

A see-saw forehead, and

you laughed saying we

looked like brothers

that day when I was ten and

knocked on your door to visit.

Intrigued by your parent’s blue carpets

and photos of drunken parties

I wanted to stay and play

as long as I could.

I loved the warm lounge

with the daschunds sunbathing,

the silence your parents work brought

leaving us alone together,

stalking the house

trying to catch monsters

and skinny-dipping -

excited but not knowing

why our bodies tingled to touch.

I spent all my time with you

hoping you would say
Shall we swim again?

Then, years later, as we grew up

having entered the world,

you to Dublin,

and I to London,

we caught up in breaks -

typing eating lunches.

And through our online times

I missed you more than a friend should.

I wanted to hold you

tight in the dark night,

but you have your own someone

to swim with now.

Meet me. We’ll talk and remember,

but I’ll go no further than the Welsh ferry port.