Passing Through Lessening Poem by Papillion Hejduk

As I opened the blinds
I saw the sign post in your eyes.
I hadn’t realized
despite the clues
that we’d come this close.

We’ve been traveling
for such a long and lovely time
I’d guess I’d taken it for granted
that somewhere, because of these moments,
we’d been transferred to another line.

A better line
but instead we’re passing through lessening
passing through lessening
where all our trees
deciduously
are preparing for the fall.

When I brought up this town
You lost it and called me stupid,
but as you did
your eyes, your beautiful eyes
Couldn’t agree with your mouth.

Then finally, once you’d calmed down,
and once too the kids were in bed
you grabbed hold of my arms
and did your best to convince me
that we where still on that other line

that better line
and not passing through Lessening,
were not passing through lessening
where all our trees,
deciduously
are preparing for the fall.

But after you fell asleep
I pulled down the blinds
for while I don’t know how much time
we have left on this train, it’s still our train
and I don’t want to get off even though I can know

That we’re passing through lessening
passing through lessening
where all its trees
our sheltering trees
are preparing for the fall.