The Faller

The Faller

“the free floating of one
opening his arms into the attitude
of flight, as he obeys the necessity and falls…”

Dear Derek,

The Camera today
They said it took three days to find your body.
You didn’t listen
How many times I told you, you didn’t have to be
a rocket scientist.  OK, you were a rocket scientist.
So you knew about gravity.
How it’s inexorable. You loved the Rockface,
At The Old Chicago they were adorers.
You were God.  So brave. The free-solo climber:
No ropes, axe, pitons.  Just you and the naked rock. 
Ritual of Climb and Cling. The rock was your church.
You came down fell into my bed we fell together. 

But he was always there on your back
the Angel.  He had no weight. You felt the brush of his wings
against your cheek, and thought it was the wind. 
They said this was an easy climb.  But it rained the
rock was wet and the Angel’s wings were sodden.

My grief is like gravity.
Inexorable.

Kate

Israel Lewis

The epigraph is from “Lastness,” by Galway Kinnell, in The Book of Nightmares