I remember hot peppers
and the Toronto Maple Leafs
and the sweating joy of being
near you
I remember cribbage
at the table
and the waiting
while every average word
was delphic wisdom
to this boy sitting
near you
I remember the sharp voice
and the way your hair went back
black tooth comb and coolness
watching razor move along
learning to shave
near you
I remember strong arms
night rescues from the dark
and fearless crazy fighter
hammering the night
wanting to be
near you
I remember your halo
cigarette smoke blue
drunk tears and ocean deep pain
emotional sewage poured out
while I was
near you
I remember God
in your image
gone
gone
gone
a distant voice on the wind
being told to go
when I was
near you
I remember Mom
on your arm
eternal black ink
and laughter I think
joy once came close
near you
I remember cries
fists and screams
blood and smiles
small white coffin
lost little sister
never gonna be
near you
I remember gifts
bread and stones
fish and snakes
near you
I remember strength
unbreakable arms
carrying me to sleep
no horror washes away
this love
no evil kills this longing
to be
to be
to be
near you
Do you remember
when I was
near you?
I cannot forget
when I was
I try and try and try
but I find that I am still
near you…
(P.S. I stole the title of this poem from a Crowded House song of the same name)
Harnessing Chaos 
Do you remember
when I was
near you?
I\’m certain the answer to that is Yes.
Nicely done. I like it. Very…generous. That\’s the only word I can think of.
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Yeah…it\’s pretty generous no doubt. thanks.
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I\’ve been commenting a lot tonight…but for whatever reason, for my own reasons, I keep coming back to this one.You know, in a way you\’re very lucky, because you have 2 other people who could relate to this poem in a similar way to yourself. And although I don\’t think they\’ve read it, there\’s got to be some comfort in that. Not to mention some irony that I\’m the one who has read it.I think of my writing my own words, and the one to whom I would write them, and it feels like a very solitary act, if that makes any sense.Sometimes I get jealous of the shared background. It\’s silly.
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A response in kind.Off the cuff, obviously.
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