A Casual Feather

A casual feather fell,

Unnoticed, from above.

It fell on the edge of my sight,

And its silent descent I almost missed.

From Heaven it drew me down to other subtle signs.

It led me to his soft scent,

Salty on the pillow next to me,

And on my fingers still;

To the lingering weight that I could yet feel,

Of his comforting body above me;

To the warmth of his winding arms,

Strong, in encircled embrace,

Holding my heart to his heart,

And drawing my breath to his breath;

To the echo in my own body

Of his deep penetrating love.

His body is not here now.

I awake alone in the gray light

Dawning, unremarkable, on this ordinary day;

And I, alone, will journey,

On well-worn paths of tedious repetition.

But ever in the corner of my eye

I will watch,

And wait for my beloved to let fall

Yet another casual feather.