November 24.1

The note said NOTE:
this patient is deceased.

Not a surprise, except again
for how fast things happen,

and how that fastness
is exaggerated by stasis

before, and I swear
time is not entirely linear,

more like swimming
in a river, with depth

and width and current
to account for,

running dry or out
to the ocean

where all water
comes from,

into breath then
into air–

it’s a cycle,
it’s conserved,

and this midday rain
is just a lot

of small
returnings.

OPTIONAL POETRY