I am peopled
people with a thousand gentle glances
handholds eyelash folds cigarette smoke and grogginess
with gauntfaced curlyheaded kings of Saturdays snowmelt and miles and miles of guilt
with quick breakfasts and long walks and first love
dreams and schemes and colourful envelopes
I am people with pictures
snapshots taken of laughter long gone or reclining
and never laughing at all
with six am bedtimes and endtimes and a history of new times to come
with cilantro coffee and jazz
peopled with people
and with sound and experience,
the haziness of game-change second-thoughts and doubt
bitter liquor and kind words and white sunlight
with goodbyes
and chance encounters
I am peopled with hotel windows and January downpour
April forgetfulness and November gold
with alone and together,
peopled with forever
with long shadow lingers, cranberry Christmas lights and
tangled up fingers, I am peopled with endings and beginnings

I am peopled.