Christina: 1

Rose wrote back, I really do love you.
If you could come here I’d show you.
That was what Dave told Bobby after all
of what came before. Bobby said
Dave should go. You’re a romantic,
Dave replied, You believe love is all
I need . . . and then Bobby mentioned
truth and beauty being all you know
on earth and all you need to know.
Dave thought, Why confuse me with Keats?
and said, This ain’t the nineteenth century,
Bobby, Seattle was never London.
And they were off with pros and cons
on what Dave might do to have Rose,
so beautiful and true, back here with him.
After the night’s gig, they drank
in the back room with Christina,
who told Dave, You’re a fool not to go
to San Francisco, you will never be
at peace with yourself otherwise.
As though he had not already,
Dave confessed Rose said
she would never marry, he didn’t know
why, must have been her folks but I can’t say,
to which Christina declared it did not
matter, you marry because you
need to keep the love between you.
Dave said Rose did not want to be
burdened with him, she had Mona
to care for, she could make it fine.
She never told him she had a sister,
now he wondered if another
was somewhere out there too,
but kept trying to still his jangling nerves.
Christina insisted Dave ought to go,
Let Tony play piano, Laurie gets him here . . .
Christina felt like a mother:
She wondered what she’d feel after
a night in bed with Bobby,
she wasn’t any older than
Melindra . . . but no, my heart, keep quiet,
I have my self-respect to keep me warm.

(5, 9, 12 April 2012)

copyright 2012 by Floyce Alexander