Late and Soon
How much longer can we ignore the mushrooms?
Their shade is surprisingly matte
with no complexity. Why one is larger than another,
closer or farther apart,
I no longer think has any significance
for us
though so far we have let them live.
Part of me despises them but I can admit
they are remarkably “there”
for each other, consistent throughout
the torrential rains, while I overbear you
with new ways of telling our story.
When the dirt turns to mud, their stance
remains unchanged. I lurk in the doorway
changing my mind
even on days I don’t leave the room,
harvesting the silence
of our children at school. If I lock
the door long enough, I hope
you will break in. Nevertheless
the mushrooms multiply
more and more now. From a distance
they are exactly what I wanted,
not an inconvenience,
but a family. Just without me.
