Hundred Year and Other Poems
Hundred Year
after Jericho Brown
You said Everything good is in a flood plain—
it’s part of the river as much as the water.
The river parts as much as the water
walks into your gramma’s kitchen like I did once.
walks into your gramma’s kitchen like I did once.
You walk into your gramma’s kitchen only once
for the last time. I am trying, I swear.
for the last time. I am trying, I swear.
For the last time, I am trying to swear
on this absent house, to eventually define away
on this absent house, to eventually define away
how an absent house eventually finds a way
to live still in the minds of people who lived there.
to live still in the minds of people who lived there.
Still alive as the minds of the people who lived here,
who knew leaving was coming like a flood. Inevitable.
who knew leaving was coming like a flood. Inevitable.
Who knew leaving was coming like a flood? Inevitable,
everything good you said is in a flood plain.
everything good you said is in a flood plain.
