Michael Estabrook

Michael Estabrook has been publishing his poetry in the small press since the 1980s. He has published over 20 collections, a recent one being The Poet’s Curse, A Miscellany (The Poetry Box, 2019).

Wormholes

Aging another aspect
of the “human condition”
amazing how fast
70 years pass by.

Can he reverse time
return to when
he’d take her bowling or to a play
or a movie then to their favorite diner
for tuna sandwiches and onion rings

Einstein theorized we could move forward in time but not backwards.

He carried her books and walked her to her classes
so the other guys knew she was his girl

According to Stephen Hawking: “Any kind of time travel to the past through wormholes
or any other method is probably impossible.”

A time when they dreamed of spending
their lives together never apart
until the end of time

But now string theory mathematics is postulating that we might be able to travel
backwards through “geometric structures called closed timelike curves” (wormholes).

He’d protect her
provide for her
entertain her
she’d know that all he cared about was her
keeping her happy and safe
never able to say no to her
doing anything and everything in his power
to make sure she was always his

Wormholes just like they said on Star Trek 50 years ago!

None of this has changed for him
if only he could stop this slow dying
reverse time
return to the beginning

I couldn’t be there

Only been three months
yet feels
like an eternity
since she’s been gone.

I sent her flowers
a beautiful arrangement
colorful
carnations, tulips, roses, daffodils . . .

What else could I do?
She sponge-bathed my mom
changed her Depends
called the chaplain just in time
just before the last breath came
eyes closed
mouth opened wide
body struggling one last time
before not.

Your body knows when it’s had enough
when it’s time to move on.

“There is a heaven isn’t there Michael?
I will see Kerry again won’t I?”

Yes of course, Ma
Kerry and Dad, your sisters, Jean, Bill
Kay, Elmer, Aunt Queenie . . . your mom.

Making it to 92 is not for the faint-hearted
good thing she was a “tough old bird”
good thing her caregiver was there
making sure she didn’t fall out of bed
giving her sips of water
morphine when she needed it.

Yes of course I sent her flowers
what else could I do?