May I..? Poem by Dónall Dempsey

I watch you
through the window

tilt the heavy
basket against your hip

balance
it
as
you

go to
put the washing out.

I(in mid
brush stroke)

leave the half painted wall
to help you.

It shouts after me in bright blue.

My footsteps
silent in the grass

you
lost in
you

singing
(softly to)
yourself

an Irish air
I taught you

and that you
sing all the time.

You reach
the line

where clouds seem to hang
as if drying.

You bow
to the horizon

your bum
a glorious orange sari sun

burning
in my mind

as you
come back up

with my white shirt

kiss it

place its arm
around your waist

the other casually
caressing your shoulder

eyes closed
you dance

in some ecstasy
of memory

with this imaginary
me

I now
as real as
can be

& near
(oh my dear)

tap you
on the shoulder

ask my shirt
“May I...? ”

& cut in

whisking you away
around this green leafy ballroom.

The shirt
left staring angrily

on a rose bush
like a wild flower

as we
waltz around

this evening
in the summer of our garden

to the music
of us

laughing

laughing.