The first instance of thunder before lightning

The most important

moment in my life

was sitting down

breathing

watching people

walk their dogs

outside

and writing this poem

*

There’s a desire for understanding

without understanding

that we don’t understand ourselves

and the others who listen

understand less about us

and sometimes

about themselves

and that makes us

understand ourselves

less

and makes them

understand themselves

more

*

The only way to

lose the loss

of someone

is to have someone

lose themselves

in your loss

as a cloud

congeals with a storm

even though it holds no

rain

and is even a little afraid

of lightning