What Do We Do To Aldo Kraas? Poem by RIC BASTASA

i have poured
a bucket of cold water
to wake him up
so he can finish
his poems
that we love
to see
in full
whole

he didn't
he holds us in super suspense
our feet could have danced
all night
our hands could have touched
the world in so much
thrills and freshness

but he didn't
he caught us suspended
frozen and
almost dead to extinction

what do we do to Aldo
to finish the poems
we want to read?

i am afraid
hot waters cannot
make him finish
what ought to be

i am afraid no one
can

because Aldo is Aldo
and just like me
Ric is Ric

that is how it goes
without saying

let them be
let me be

the freedom to be
unfinished
the freedom to be
finished

and perhaps be praised
or just be scorned