Open now the red envelope and hear
your name echoed through me.
See how river of remembrance cuts
deep, fills me with natural joy?

Touch this ribbon of time rising, falling.
Woven through are shared strands,
pearls of grace from which you jerk away,
wishing to remain other than, apart.

You are the monkey covering his ears,
eyes and mouth agape, shrieking
gleefully of superiority, pointing fingers,
stomping and muddying the truth

Because you are too afraid to touch it.
And yet it settles upon you you,
lifting as fragrant memory, imbuing
you with all that’s tender and real.

Greetings! Breathe deep of love in which
I found, then lost, such innocence.
Be filled with sweetest death, bitter life.
Let the bells ring and angels sing.

Or shall I put a stop to it now, place wrinkled
hands upon my ears, stick out my tongue
and scream, “I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you.”
Shall I pretend to die or live again

in white forgetfulness? I will not. I will
send salutation, write words of wonder
on the wind. I will live and die and
live again, beginning from this end.