Cloud

You said,
“This isn’t beautiful”
“I think it’s disgusting”
“This is a disease”

And I didn’t know how to respond, because
I didn’t see your frame in
Morning’s soft light

I saw something else
I saw something like an icon
I saw something like incense haze

I saw you from the choir balcony
Radiant and holy and

When I said you were
Beautiful
I thought of the beauty of
Earth and dirt

I thought of the beauty of
Billions of years of memory and
Energy and

In short, I felt alive

I felt alive to bear witness to
All the life, life in
Framed arrangements off center

Life in the
Rapid shutter of
Visions and revisions

Life in the
Constant psychedelic hum
My willow tree of wisdom

Poloroids and
Your plans manifesting
Botanically balanced and

I saw it like first light
I saw it all in a smile

Elbows on the kitchen table
Once again
Playing the game

Once again
For all of the marbles
You guessed me green
So easy, seen me

All at once
All in this moment, and
You knew it then but
Forgot it now

Held above me like clouds
Crackling matrices of memory and
Cool rains of May and

Swept away in the soft
Splatter on my crown
Eyes to heaven and

Across the room
Replying meekly:

“You are beautiful to me”