This poem is pulled from snippets of Esteban Rodriguez’s poem, El Rio. These snippets pulled together brought out a truth that spoke to me. Check out his poem in Non.PlusLit.
ready to give up
what they knew they’d never be
aware what he believes in
will not always remain
and though you want to believe
when he tells you this
you find nothing when you look
each time you place yourself in the middle of it
and which you hope
if the time should come
Even in sleep
gazing
some nights
unsure if they’re signals
accidents
or warnings
if he does what awaits
or stay if his limbs grow numb
accept the nothingness
he prays he has the strength to wake up
he will be found and dragged to a place where you eventually
promise him to not suffer
unsure how you got here
or if any part of this is real
you find a man you believe
only he doesn’t remember you
or of the decades he spent
knowing as you know now
the path leading back
would not welcome his return
Coffee Shop Sessions 