bembo
(an imagined poetic conversation between two goods) by Constance Kuntz
at the end of your life
amidst piercing screams
and screeching whistles
your soul whispers to mine
read to me
you ask me to read aloud
from our favorite book
on earth we’re briefly gorgeous
now? i ask
now, you whisper
time freezes –
it is still
in the snow
that coats our streets
and lines our trees
the screams, the whistles, the honks –
briefly silenced
by the ice, by ice
that noise – you say – belongs to someone else – not us
we take turns
reading to each other
until you say –
softly –
just you now; just you
when i get to the end
you smile –
keep reading
even the part ‘about the type’
the type, you say, is the best part
bembo i say –
it’s bembo
***
big boy shoots
horns honk
people swear
whistles blow
you smile
bembo?
suddenly and somehow
we are both laughing
i breathe in your soul
as you whisper mischief
about your favorite font
***
i swear everything
was your favorite
you found
the good in everything,
every one,
even me,
the moon to your sun
and i swear
they find the bad
in everything
every one
even us
even the moon and the sun
they pierced your perfect body
with bullets
they tried to
stain your luminosity
with your own blood
but your brightness
holds me
for a few shining seconds –
i’m more in love
with you than ever
i try to trick myself
into believing you’re back –
that we have more time –
but you whisper good bye
i say no! it’s just good night!
you rest your head on the pillow
the one with your favorite pillowcase
the one with roses on it
your dumb dog snuggles between us
safe and happy
***
but the blaring whistles wake me up
and i remember
it isn’t a pillow
it’s an airbag
and those aren’t roses
that’s your blood
and the dog isn’t snuggling
he’s nosing your body –
trying to wake you up
while a man shouts fucking bitch
while you whisper keep reading
bembo, i say, is a serif typeface,
named after the poet pietro bembo
bembo …
a whisper
a gasp
a breath
a tiny laugh
i ask what could possibly be so funny?
you smile and say nothing
and disappear
good bye
Constance Kuntz 