I remember them, the two lovers, standing there by the canal
hands longing for each other, shaking like victims of the grand mal
She told him: Ceci n’est pas très romantique and watched
as mud and grime swam by
the lovers laughed and figured they were worth a try.
I remember them, the lovers standing there all day
tanning under rain, blistering in the pearl afternoon sun
She told him : Un jour je reviendrai. ça, je te le promets,
and she died from partying too hard, the legend’s scorn.
I remember them, one of the lovers standing there, now tanning alone under rain
laughing a hollow laughter, thinking about what comes after
thinking about when he said I love you, when he needed to hear you say, I love you too—
a shadow of pain now stuck to his face, the numb pain of a dream that never came.
I remember them, one of the lovers standing there, no longer tanning under rain
talking to a picture : Ma chère, ton sourire est comme la mer
d’abord il avance, puis il repart doucement, en arrière. Tu me l’as dit
je te le promet, Un jour je reviendrai.
She never came back.
He remembers, sometimes, on a rainy day,
life is good, in a way.
I remember them, the lovers, no longer standing there by the canal
one gone
the other picking up cigarette butts she liked to drag on
I told him: You are wasting yourself on reality. He answered:
Je ne comprends pas, je veux être gâchis par la réalité.
I remember them, those around the lovers, standing there by the canal
mourning the lover still alive, mourning the lover before his grand mal.
I am the City. And I remember them
the collective trauma stacked on me will not die.
I remember them
the losses that made you think everything was over.
I remember them
the victories that reminded you there is tomorrow after.
I remember them
each kid scraping their knees on me, their lives bleeding in my concrete cracks.
I remember them, the lovers by the canal, who came back each generation
wasted more than before.
I am the City. I exist inside you when you shiver
You run each day through my liver and pass out
past the river.