Sometimes I worry
about how to move the books I have up north
down south

When I begin to feel uncomfortable
in my relationship,
it is the books that come up,
shelf upon shelf
of necessary writing

Each time I take the night train
down there,
to stay a few months away
from the relationship,
I also send a few heavy packages
with books
in the mail

Thery're too heavy
to add to my suitcase or backpack,
but expensive through the Post Office,
so I can send but a few boxes each time

In this way I distinguish
between books of great importance
and others of less

In this way, also,
I leave less and less books up north
in the relationship,
waiting to be restored
to my single southern life

I seldom fully realize
that I will be dead and incinerated
well before all the books will be converged
in the South