el cuarto de bano

the ancient Greeks called it “modus loca”-

the method of loci-

the art of using spatial memory

to

recall

anything of importance.

So

while the other boys

serenade you from

beneath your bedroom window

my mind has settled

in your bathroom

making mental notes of

any and everything.

See,

I have this list that

needs to be remembered:

the way your skin feels

the smell of your hair

your smile…

but time and distance

and whatever may or may not be

going on in the stars,

they’re all working wonders

against my powers of recollection.

the idea is simple:

I visualize your sink,

your toothbrush waiting in its cup

or your shower curtain;

and somehow I imagine

that the shyness in your eyes is waiting for me

with the one straight towel on the rack and the

one wet towel on the floor…

or your laughter

rolling out of the shower head like

fresh spring rain.

I highly doubt the Ancients had

you

in mind when there was

Pythagoras’ Theorem to try and wedge in between

a couple of windows with curtains drawn;

but then the Ancients

have never seen you with your hair pulled back

or held you close while

the rest of the world

stops.