Eternal Life Samir Atassi

The last time I saw you
in this world, it was in the darkened living
room. It was about
three in the morning when,
half passed-out
on the couch, I heard the rickety front door
fling open, followed by your unsteady foot-
falls and, close behind, a heavier tread.
She was the largest angel I’d ever seen
you lead home, over a hundred pounds heavier
than your heart,
easy.
She had to turn herself side-
ways to fit through your narrow bed-
room door, like a hulking cherub trying
to squeeze her bulk
past the gates of heaven. But,
always the gentleman,
you went in first.



Samir Atassi lives and works as a librarian in Cleveland, Ohio. He holds an MFA in Poetry from Ashland University, and his work has appeared in various publications including River Teeth, Painted Bride Quarterly and Sontag Mag. He was also the featured poet in the inaugural SLANT Forum.