REMEMBERING NOEL

Noel's death anniversary this month. Here is a poem I wrote for him then:

Losing Noel

When I saw you in February,
Noel,
there was no shadow across
your face
your words were no less biting
sarcastic, pointed, sharp, or crisp
than
at other times

I did not sense at all that
dark arms had claimed you
even then

I cannot imagine you were
a client waiting, pale
outside those doors,
even then

I shall believe,
Noel
that when they came
for you, you were in mid-
sentence
uttering a tart,
profane, and un-
apologetic diatribe

I shall believe that when they came for you
you had your pens lined up
for work – and how you
loved those pens -
your work on words,
of words you loved

Ah, yes
I refuse to think,
Noel
that when they came for you
you were waiting for them.