Thrilling Conclusion

And when the end came it came silent but clear like bird prints on snow

and no one was surprised to see it arrive

and still friends lingered in doorways letting goodbyes go bad

and chirping cats were fed a second time just to be sure

and the family dogs formed a congress in the woods with the coyotes

and someone was careful to leave bubble wrap for children to burst

and the night watchman pretended his glasses fogged over as we passed

and it turned out the trees were unmemorable

and the government a trick of the light

and it was sorry, the ending, but it didn’t know what for

and it was okay at least as much as we were

and we swam with it in whatever we had on under

and we kissed so hard we clanged teeth

and we ate without speaking

and then at last spoke all at once like an unkinked hose

and then it began, the ending, the way all creatures do, small

and angry at its own misunderstandings.