inspired by William Stafford's "Ask Me"

Some time
when my hands are cracked
and frozen over
and dripping with tentacles of ice,

Ask me.

Breaths I have breathed,
words I have spoken,
photos I have taken,
poems I have written,
pictures I have painted.

Ask me

whether what I have done is my life,
and what difference my biggest fear
and my smallest idiosyncrasy
have made.

Ask me

of my prejudices
and what I dreamt last night.

I will listen to you.
I will listen to both what you say
and what you leave out.
I will try not to talk too much.

And my hands might thaw,

maybe.