The Dishes Had Piled UP High in Her Mind.....

my dear,

don't miss the forest for the trees
he said
they were in manhattan
and she wasn't sure which forest he was talking about

the dishes had piled up high
in her mind
stacks of filth
and soggy bread crusts
lost ideals
sunk deep in the wilted lettuce sink drain
tumbling backwards in time
and undoing all the beauty
that could ever exist forever between them
replaced with memories of childhood furies,
and the failures of parentals
with muttered curses
she uttered under
dried egg yolk stuck
scratched teflon pans

and he would walk by it all
and ask her to dance
what an inappropriate activity when there was work to be done
cleaning, organizing
buying
lists
upon lists
upon lists
and things to clean the things you clean your things with...
and he walked right by it all to sit high
on the urban mountains called "roof"

as he sat on the top of the building
the world an open valley
 anywhere he perched was his castle
she would look up at him as he gazed dreamily upon inner landscapes
remember. 
she could remember him when she saw him like that
softer days
when love made their feet touch feet
and their touching feet made their life tingle with meaning and joy
when she wanted to share every secret, every joy, each little story and big dream
where she whispered sweet promises of forever to him

and he told her
'we can decide upon forever when first you meet me here'
i have been waiting for you for 40 days and 40 nights
just show up
come back
all will be well
with love and kindness
do not forget
what can be
and loose the forest for the trees...

but they were in manhattan
walking down another street
there was no forest as far as the eye could see
but right in front of her was a maple tree.