"Just let me drown," he said without a wince.
A warm sea, a warm tea, they are the same.
You left me then, I have not seen you since.
The coffee cup steam seems to spell your name
Curling, dark, and warm--I am embraced
But drowning nonetheless. Come back, I wept.
Perhaps, in retrospect, 'twas my disgrace
To leave you. Just perhaps 'twas I who left.
I don't know. I don't know. All time stands still
Around the teacups, emptied, drained to leaves
Which tell me nothing comforting. Refilled
Again and yet again, at least it breathes
In bracing warm reminders that I sink.
With every sip, "just let me drown," I think.
postscript
Breaking my hiatus with a little therapeutic sonnetry.