Vanishing

i am blind. if you vanish,
who will trace the curves and scars of my soul-face.
you are building a bird's nest. if you vanish,
will you carry me away like a twig.
we are tree-climbing limb-walking light-buddies, if you vanish, ax bites bark.

i am curled in cancer. if you vanish,
who will straighten me back to a man.
you are a diamond. if you vanish,
who will catch the glints.
we are fire drained of damage, if you vanish,
ice breaks into frozen pieces on the river.

i am two steps forward. if you vanish,
who will be two steps back.
you are two steps back. if you vanish,
who will be two steps forward.
we took dance lessons before time, if you vanish,
does music still play.

i am free flowing undercurrent. if you vanish,
who dares swim again.
you are asian pears, almonds and wine. if you vanish,
will you teach me anorexia.
we held hands, if you vanish,
hands clutch air.

i am afraid. if you vanish,
feet keep running down back alleys.
you are a hotel room. if you vanish,
there is no forwarding address.
we are a million ways, if you vanish,
all bets are lost.

i am light behind blue eyes. if you vanish,
who is reborn again in light.
you are my brown-eyed girl. if you vanish,
do deep wells dry.
we are best-friends, if you vanish,
letters turn yellow in boxes.

i am tears. if you vanish,
rust grows another layer.
you are tears. if you vanish,
who catches them in alabaster jars.
we are tears, if you vanish,
we are just tears.

i am a lawyer. if you vanish,
life turns lock-step.
you are a business-lady. if you vanish,
capital turns elsewhere.
we are strategy and function, if you vanish,
who will find the form.

i am in you. if you vanish,
how did you wretch me out.
you are deep roots in my soil, if you vanish,
ground tears open.
we are cracked open, if you vanish,
who savours fragrance.

i breath fresh air. if you vanish,
air turns stale under masks of anesthesia.
you are morning dew. if you vanish,
fingers crack dry against parched grass.
we are sand dunes, if you vanish,
secrets blow unheard down the beach.

^

Biography

Tim McDowell is a partner with the law firm of Smith, Gambrell & Russell in Atlanta, Georgia and currently lives in Atlanta with his family. He received his B.A. from Davidson College in 1979, his M.S.W. from the University of Georgia in 1982, and his J.D. from Emory University in 1987 (where he was a First Honor Graduate, Order of the Coif, and Notes and Comments Editor for the Emory Law Journal). He is a member of many professional organizations in the legal community. Mr. McDowell has previously published numerous poems in the Davidson Miscellaneous.