Yes, I am concerned about your health.
Never wanted to involve myself too much,
but now attentive and plugged into the wealth
of highs and lows you’ve felt, I watch you take such
pains to synthesize and recreate your sense
of self. Sometimes, at night, the air swells with sorrow
and the tumult lessens by your presence—
so I demand you keep the vessel that you borrow
in good repair. …I am selfish. It’s in my interest
to see you smiling, feel you feeling well.
Against the fabric of my being, I’ve never told
you of the comfort—the months caressed
gone by—the porch lights that compel
me toward eyes like not seen before into a soul.
-Chris James Bayer
