Contact

The rain woke me tapping on the window reminding me of a boyhood friend

I never had who’d toss gravel against the glass until I eased myself out crept to the edge

of the porch roof & shimmied down the walnut’s rough trunk I did that a few times even

without the prompt someone might be out there it was worth checking

& something always was I’d hear rapid footsteps on the lawn a rustle in the compost pit

I’d climb into bed half an hour later with dirt on my feet & grass stains on my PJs breathing hard

pull the blankets over my head & listen to the blood drumming behind my ears