She had asked about love,
what it was, how’d you know,
and I replied did she know about color,
specifically blue, and also the absence of color,
like black and white – though I never quite understood myself
how things so stark could be absent anything, let alone color,
left alone one feels the gravity of bodies in orbit more acutely,
understands perfectly the missing piece of another alongside, a lover, a duet,
a partner to say …maybe the blue sweater then?
so I said forget about color, that was long ago
when eyes could see out, unlike now peering
only in, once there was a heart,
there! I said sharply, jabbing
her breast with my finger
repeatedly, there!
there was where
love once was

Chagall 2020