is it cold where you are
is the night full of stars like these
do you feel the same breeze
is it please to believe
that all of the tree leaves
have fallen, have settled
have given up freely
conceded, resigned to their failure
and would it remind you
if twice repeated
or find you familiar
that it is the same thing that we did
or at least similar.

but if the leaves fall,
well it’s nothing symbolic
so spare the invective, remember
it’s december. it’s expected.

is it cold where you are
is the heat in your car just as useless
i don’t know if you knew this
or if you even care
but i swear that to have it repaired
was on my to-do list
it was scribbled in sideways
between buying you something so pretty to wear
and cooking you dinner on friday.

but oh tell me where was the courtesy
and oh behind two eyes so clueless
won’t you tell me what smile lay
that you’d consider leaving on a thursday
and what’s more, that you’d actually choose this
to carve your space in the driveway.
and we all know the roadway
to making things okay
is circuitous
and the road leading out is a highway.
i think your story proves this

but if the heat falters
or if the car stalls
well, it’s nothing symbolic
it’s nothing at all
it’s no sign of nothing so hopeless

and so if it deserves it
you give it a jump start
and if not’s worth it
you haul it to the junkyard
but i think you already know this

is it cold where you are
is the door cracked ajar to your room
is the light of the moon
undermining the gloom
and filtering down through the blinds
and casting white lines on the floorboards
your two tired eyes drawn towards them
how like dust or like leaves they will settle
like the flickering heat you can’t depend on
when the clouds gather breath and balloon
transfixed like lips kissed to cold metal
can you find some envelope to send on
can you do it soon
can you draw up some ink from the well of the night
take those feathery clouds and pick out a plume
can you gather your thoughts like the stars in the sky
and sit down and write me a letter

and i give you my word
if you’d send some of yours
i would be such an attentive reader
and tell me, my darling
is it cold where you are
and please know
it’s not all that warm here, either