Fulfillment

Last moments are
Superior in feeling,
Sharply poignant,
And I can see still
On the backs of my eyelids
The tree outside
The second-story window
Out west of Damen Avenue.
Its colors are vibrant.
The day is gray with
Soft showers and
Chicago street smog.
I cannot go home.
Thoughts of
Dying in sight of this tree
Have mesmerized me,
Have sat me four hours
Eyes through the glass,
Touching souls with
One tree,
Trading stories,
Teaching songs,
Pledging to fulfill one another
With edges sharp
As single atoms.