I am always a little afraid
That you will be his ghost
Forgive me
You are your own person
And I should not compare anyone
To a monster
Much less you, my friend.
It's not that he is a part of you
He is a part of me
A festering wound
A gnarled, ugly scar
And I am afraid that with every embrace
Skin on skin
Breath on breath
A little poison will bleed from me to you
And then back to me, ever more potently
But as summer yields to winter
I yield, too
To reckless faith.
for Ben.
