back to where she stopped / finally / finally / loose ends /
black ribbons streaming in stormy feeling /
/ no reason to say what had been done / what damage suffered /
no use justice / no use softening / no water from eye no open arms / all dialogue over /
directed at no ear / no heart quivering with hope or latent love /

for a moment longer/ restless ghost warmth rises / lingers only on the skin
/ habit and tension let go / true bones show at last /
also fear is absent / unsafe is now safe
/ her body nearly cool just a place /

now is free to have hollow huge desire /
now becomes a planet / pulls wayward moons  /

remember to touch / / to tell her she is beautiful /
perhaps some cell at last can hear /
perhaps some dreams / soft and hardly noticed
wait / one last chance to be seen

poem and painting by Jo Mariner