behold it was

it begins to fade so let’s hurry: a classroom for adult continuing education
a stern teacher perhaps mrs. holmberg from 6th grade
a door to the bright-sunshined outside opens and it is you
and you have wigs with you some brunette some redhead

and i realize: it’s a class in social dynamics
you are a guest lecturer
there are some minutes before class begins
there is an empty seat two from me and you sit in it

the guy between you and me is a friend of mine but opportunistic
he begins to chat you up and i interrupt and ask him to stand
he does and i do and i ask him to sit where i had been sitting
i sat where he had been say “that’s ever so much nicer” for now i’m sitting next to you

i’m sitting next to you for the first time
what a smile you have
i ask you how old you were when you gave your first lecture and you say “three”
i ask if it were in church and the strolling teacher looks at me sternly and i wake up