ELEGY FOR A YOUNG LOVE

JAMIE SAMDAHL

I braided his hair and he died     I braided his hair into one long braid

and did mine the same     we slept in his little bed    he is sleeping now

at the bottom of the river     he drank the whole thing   he is sleeping now

 
I did it out of love     I moved away     but not before
 
we tracked a fisher cat in the snow and ate oatmeal     we were faithful

to the woodstove     we knelt and we prayed to our altar      the fire

our impossible happiness     lit the cabin by night

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