Fade To Black

(For James Edward)

I bought you a pair
of leather gloves
for the train journey north
where an ocean peers
through forest trees at dawn.

I chose black
to overshadow the cold,

to match the fabric
of your London Fog
and the dark wash
of your Hungarian hair,

to echo the winged
pines you will be traveling with

or this bird perched
in the lyre-shaped branches
of our Joshua tree. His silhouette
tuned for loneliness
on a Winter day --

when there is wind
to draw melody
and rain
to provide the strings.