Vernal

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what i wanted to say, 
            but didn’t get to: 
in the end, there is one great sphere 
            that contains each lesser light, 

and one great compass, needle pressed 
            to center the circle in every heart, 
            angle circumscribing all: 

the bully in sixth grade 
            who spat daily on my bike 
            while it sat chained at school, and 

saliva drying in the wind, and 

the first time you kissed me 
            (i kissed you first, but you like 
            to say it was you—whichever it was 
            i’m still glad). 

this wondrous orb, euclidean, real,  
            archimedes found could be described 
            v = 4/3πr³ 
            where ‘r’ also includes

my grandfather, walking pipelines 
            for the gas company in winter, and 
            his pneumonia, and 
            his ferocious independence, and 
            when he learned his daughter died and 
            where, and 
            when he wept and 
            would have traded, and 
            had to live— 

encompassed and ablated by extraordinary arms.