P::painting in prison

two weeks ago
when you washed your car,
prepared for a nine hour
drive west along interstate
mile markers which passed by
like unmemorable wild-
flowers in the median

when you awoke late
in the morning, stretched
&; climbed into the shower,
last night's smoke alcohol
&; others sprayed off your
svelte body the alarm didn't
sound but your headache spoke
volumes of drums &; tuba

when clumsily i walked to work
up the steps already complaining
about the day yet to begin when
you drove off and we planned
lunch that afternoon

when two nights earlier we drank
like alcohol was oxygen (and all
along it was you) &; confused
this curse a cure for ailments

when laughter laughter laughter
echoed with me from jailcell
to jailcell. extradition is of
the body &; not the soul

when two weeks ago it was the full
of summer! &; now autumn sets the days
back an hour, baseball begins to end
us to once more start again
because we will it so
and deserve the love
that this poem fails
to describe, or color