I know well it s only gratitude which causes you to stroke the nape of my neck like a lover drifting to sleep in the passenger seat during a long & featureless drive home As I know the moon has yet to rise above the sleek pines of Tahoe casting its bright path across the water s quite face I consider telling you of the last time her slow approach that evening like a swan coming in for a brief touch only to rise again from the water like a ghost mist opening out for her so that she was gone in a instant water rippling in a graceful flow that became waves beating at the shore I might say her lips didn t open the entire time only her eyes dark as umbrellas for the few moments before she disappeared out the door Fl x BL DE