Johnny

In Honor of Matthew Perry. He died two years ago today.

A eulogy for my friend: October 28th, 2023
science enthusiasts found life under the crack of earth
with waves bigger than me that surf around on mantles
which may be a sign of life
the suns aligned with our earth in a partial
but long lunar eclipse
as zealots bombed each other in a holy city
i found through reading footnotes maybe the people in the sky live too
because i’ve been writing too many eulogies of recent
for them not to be reality TV
this for someone I never knew
but knew for the whole of my life
Matthew saved me like the apostle who bore your name
the best way out is always through
the best way to die is never in autumn
when spring buries itself with yellow tangerines
when the people still remember your laugh
or their laugh through yours
tardily i’d watch you joke about the bathtub
in your 50 pairs of iridescent underwear
i hope you found joy in a stranger’s poem
and lost dancing in the nearby jupiters
where you burdened me with rapture when all i could imagine was to cry
i wish you knew shock and surprise meant the same to us
if it meant a 200-pound ballerino hanging from that fluorescing chandelier
rest
because not many people can close their eyes
knowing they’ve changed the world
rest
because the ramblers in the sky know to offer you a candlestick cigarette after the night shuts down life
for a while.

(I know the sky people couldn’t be more elated to share a smile with you once more)