RIP, AI. (January 2, 1947-March 19, 2010)/ "Conversation" by AI

Conversation

for Robert Lowell

We smile at each other
and I lean back against the wicker couch.
How does it feel to be dead? I say.
You touch my knees with your blue fingers.
And when you open your mouth,
a ball of yellow light falls to the floor
and burns a hole through it.
Don’t tell me, I say. I don't want to hear.
Did you ever, you start,
wear a certain kind of silk dress
and just by accident,
so inconsequential you barely notice it,
your fingers graze that dress
and you hear the sound of a knife cutting paper,
you see it too
and you realize how that image
is simply the extension of another image,
that your own life
is a chain of words
that one day will snap.
Words, you say, young girls in a circle, holding hands,
and beginning to rise heavenward
in their confirmation dresses,
like white helium balloons,
the wreaths of flowers on their heads spinning,
and above all that,
that’s where I’m floating,
and that’s what it’s like
only ten times clearer,
ten times more horrible.
Could anyone alive survive it?

Voicemail from the moon.

My husband's company has new software which sends him emails with transcribed versions of voicemails people leave for him. The software doesn't work quite as it should.

These are voicemails which it thinks I left for him while he was in Atlanta for work:

Hey this is extending his.

Voice mail for me -- -- yeah I love you will try and call you later.

Bye bye.

*****

Hey it's me I'm actually going to.

I forgot to tell you that you do have a cracking win children efficiency sending a better feel sorry to get back -- certain I sheet one it's Wells pretty big will star trucks wrote the be brought -- actually to our servers -- three start 12 medium in one little -- but they don't I can still see Cheryl and there -- passenger side calling crack.

Clearly this message NEMI love you.

*****

Hey it's me.

I am back -- but it was again serpentine shortly.

Here this week.

*****

Hey it's me I love you very much actually really early tomorrow.

So I'm going to give you a call -- later if you don't call me back tonight it doesn't really early tonight so I could be there 7:32 -- hey I really don't like testing of you always meeting your phone off you will receive it on and might ring and then don't answer leave you know it's Charisse Meyer 90 -- well when you are having an affair with me -- if you could give to you -- soon turnings an awful time.

I love you if you get this call me.