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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