I dreamed we never knew each other
but instead of oblivion,
I wandered dimly lit hallways
searching for a trace of you
fragments of bone or drops of blood
proof you had paced these floors beside me.
An orderly offered me cold compresses, strips of gauze
and slices of stale bread
when all I really wanted was a glass of wine.
Wine that tasted of sterling silver and sea salt,
smoky anise and stone cherries.
I lay down on a raft
waiting there silently
until he struck a match and pushed me out to sea.
