Poem Ended by Death

[Fleur Adcock, 1979^]

^{They will wash away all my kisses and fingerprints off you}

^{and my tearstains--I was more inclined to weep}

^{in those wild-garlicky days--and our happier stains,}

^{thin scales of papery silk... Fuck that for a cheap}

^{opener; and false too--any such traces}

^{you pumiced away yourself, those years ago}

^{when you sent my letters back, in the week I married}

^{that anecdotal ape. So start again. So:}

^{They will remove the tubes and drips and dressings}

^{which I censor from my dreams. They will, it is true,}

^{wash you: and they will put you into a box.}

^{After which whatever else they may do}

^{won't matter. This is my laconic style.}

^{You praised it, as I praised your intricate pearled}

^{embroideries; these links laced us together,}

^{plain and purl across the ribs of the world...}