JOHN OLIVER SIMON:
 
ADELLE 2
 
THE VIEWING
 
Adelle in her coffin with copper bracelet
that will be found encircling her ulna
by raccoon archaelogists way downstream
who may be able to reconstruct her face
 
with its smart mouth now pulled quiet forever
but will never awaken its quick laughter
Jack’s in endless freefall of bottomless grief
no hug from compadres can hope to console
 
raccoons will little note nor long remember
his grief, their lifetime love, the poetry scene
around the San Francisco Bay Area
 
at the turn of our second millenium
but let them say this: she lies there dead who was
in life a faithful and practical artist.
 
7/18/16                                               
for Adelle Foley (1940-2016)
 
 
JACK FOLEY’S RESPONSE, WRITING BETWEEN THE LINES
 
THE VIEWING
 
Adelle in her coffin with copper bracelet
            I saw her
that will be found encircling her ulna
            (Leo, lioness:
by raccoon archaelogists way downstream
            August 15^th)
who may be able to reconstruct her face
            as she moved towards
 
with its smart mouth now pulled quiet forever
            the flames
but will never awaken its quick laughter
            that will forever
Jack’s in endless freefall of bottomless grief
            transform her.
no hug from compadres can hope to console
            I had kissed
 
raccoons will little note nor long remember
            my fingers
his grief, their lifetime love, the poetry scene
            and touched
around the San Francisco Bay Area
            her lips
 
at the turn of our second millennium
            my love
but let them say this: she lies there dead who was
            of over fifty
in life a faithful and practical artist.
            years