the visitor

wakened by the ghost again
she went through the closet
opened drawers
flipped through books
spotted my slacks on the floor
folded and put them on the chair
walked barefoot through the bedroom
humming gracefully to
the tune of Summertime
fed the goldfish
dusted plants and furniture
rearranged picture frames
turned the corner
undressed
took a peek
promised to join for breakfast
i stepped on the cold tile floor
looked into the tub water
she disappeared once again

Knee

we laid on the bed
one reckless morning
as a result of an argument
i faced her feet

smelled them
tickled them
suck them

but her resentment remained

from a distance
a hand reached
the underside of her leg
rested there

skin of the knee
seemed restless
twitched

from my crescent view
bumps and folds
weren't meaningless
anymore

Skin

there was a scab
floating in the tub water

her skin is flawless
i thought to myself

there was hair
golden, from end to end
and her smell

a hand ducked in
paddled incessantly
until a wave clashed with my long face
eyes filled with salt

i then realized
that the scab and sweat
had been swallowed by the drainpipe
years ago

Submerge

she soaked for hours at a time
never lit candles
put on music
or shared the tub
cherished complete solitude
and the stillness of the water

at times i submerge my body
and hold my breath
like she used to do

only death could
substitute the silence

wet and wrinkled
or dry and salty
she was kissable
even with the aftertaste of vodka
and diluted sleeping pills

at times i submerge my body
long to become the water
to rest in her corrugated skin
and be the stillness
that closed her eyes