If I earned pardon
from all concerned, together
with permission to resume
childish routines by
virtue of this forgiveness…
If I built striated muscles
to pull out all past moments,
like rotting teeth,
and replaced
them with fine-feeling porcelain…
If I, through a lifetime of
thankless service, should silently
claim the gentle right of forgetting…
I would never dare
deserve this touch of yours.
(for Julie)