Leavetaking
“Do not walk away,” she said.
She pulled his sleeve, bright flame red,
and tugged him back down to the bed
and he gave a little sigh.
He turned to watch what she would do –
her eyes were misty, soft gray-blue.
Amazing how they could cut him through
if she would start to cry.
And so he sat and held her hand,
and hoped that she would understand
and watched her wrap a silver strand
of hair around her finger.
Miroku knocked upon the door.
She looked at him and sighed some more.
He dropped his eyes down to the floor –
there was no time to linger.
She brushed his lips, soft and sweet,
a kiss to get him to his feet –
he smiled and felt once more complete,
although he could not stay.
She walked with him across the floor
and kissed him three more times before
she let him go out through the door –
one for each day away.