for Maged Zaher

[msjane]

Dear Maged,
once upon a time a language obscured
for me you zeroxed inked
and personal stets and omittions
dotted and doted the family we shared
avuncular and avuncular...

it should be said
I never forgot the salsa dancing
that I googled your name and found your voice

I want to tell you
equilibrium precedes death
closure, not lack of closure
not bipolor disorder

that maybe no one wants to live in their skin
that we are so much disorder begat disorder
isolated and codependant
efforts suceeded and squandered
to reminded ourselves of what skin is for

I would dare not suggest what skin is for

I would will you to me
I would stubble into you on Bleeker and buy you a canoli
I would forget my panic and we'd drink turkish coffee
speak wanton causual fate and existential
language with language in the gaps between language
and I will never loose your number again.

love,
~lia jane.