(would if I could)

would if I could tell him, going back reading his poems
the absence of his active voice
makes the sun colder

on the river it’s just lovely
under a not-too-hot sun would if I could tell him
we should write about the waters where we are
using dueling metaphors

the days move on in the currents
some days go backwards we are laughing together
about the silly old men we knew we’d become
I’d tell him now how silly it all is would if I could