Approaching Your Body

Approaching your body
after hours a coroner
brings us a snapshot I
can tell they have
combed your wet hair
carefully blankets keep
your hurts
from our eyes

Approaching your body
next day after the
autopsy waiting staring
from a hot car watching the
building finally a gurney a
black bag you said
you saw this in a
dream

Approaching your body
we get to the funeral
home before you we
wait others
mourn their dead I
hear running steps
in the corridor violent
retching

Approaching your body
we say don't do
anything to her just
bring her to us in a small
room they
do

Approaching your body
we are slow I can't tell if
they have set you aglow
with some rose
fresnel you are so
holy

Approaching your body
we are frozen all the love
hangs still grief
inconsequential
beside your
beauty

Approaching your body
pulling back the
plastic bag quickly covering
again red railroad
seam and
stitches

Approaching your body
I must touch
you not where water
and blood puddle
thin beneath your
head

Approaching your body
unable to know your
hand through cold
plastic stiff digits have
forgotten themselves
later I find I'll
hold forever the
small scoop of nails
blunt monkey fingers

Approaching your body
needing something to
hold circling
carefully your
foot a tag tied
on left toe chases me
away

Approaching your body
finally your right foot
whole my hands grab
joy so fierce and
silly your sister and
Shennie break giggling
from red swollen weeping

Approaching your body
we find you bathed in
a hum so secret and
fine and noiseless
not in time but
shining from some holy
place we tread towards
you love a frail
bridge just above
the abyss of
pain