descent

you charmed the skeptics
with your compliments
wooed ladies
with your inner life.

jealousy can be sweet
but not like Othello.
at least you used
to laugh at that.

I'm still not a scholar
you're still not my brother.
but anyways, ours was
not a movement like that.

I stood beside you
you fell behind me.
what use is there
going back?

the garden is fallow
the winter still lingers
and my words have
all up and dried.

so just for you
I'll slide on the words
and let them say
what they will.