The House of Egairia

.
He thought it was a spring.... a fountain in a Roman pond
..........an origin of water.... a king's source of advice—
but it was an old dark house in Oregon...................



…Pahn is cruising
the roughening road
followed
.............by men from work
........on a treasure hunt
to a high basin
............of mixed geology

...........................................................................Losing them
Pahn waits

Hendrik arrives
........................and Pahn shows him
.......................................the direction to travel
Pahn waits

Returning .........Hendrik carries
.........................................a sheaf
................................................................................of lemongrass

Pahn is unsure ....thinking
.................................................................Hendrik may have taken
..............................................................the wrong item

Pahn goes in the direction
to travel for verification

He stops outside a house and
.............................................................holds out the lemongrass
and someone
suggests
........................................that he ask Egairia
..............................................................................(who is inside)
..........................................................................if it is the true and correct treasure

Pahn is surprised
and shy
but enters the house ........................................................................


to find her .....standing with
a young boy
.........................of Aiks’ family
....................................................sharing her looks

Pahn holds Egairia

She doesn’t raise
.......................her arms ....but leans in to
.......................................him who doubts her love
....................................................but holds to his affection

She leads him
....................................................to her car

As they drive.........................................................
through the high northern town
wondering
..................................................about the source of its prosperity
Pahn is thinking
of Eendekoi
..................................that he might be living
...............................................in the house they have just left

Egairia drives fast facing......................................
backward .........weaving...
................................into oncoming traffic and she asks
Pahn
..............................to be her eyes

He cannot tell........................................................
if she is sick
..............or tired
...........or sad

as he runs
through the possible explanations for her behavior
..........................................................cancer
................................................................overwork
.................................................................loneliness
........................................................................temperament
...............................................................insomnia
...........................................................................a wasting illness
.................................................................pregnancy


Reaching her house.................
Pahn finds
......................................an older man working in the driveway
Pahn thinks
.......................................it must be her father
....................................but it is not

A young man...........................
walks out of the house
Pahn thinks
........................................it is her husband
.......................................but it is not

An older woman is inside
.....................................She is not her mother

Pahn imagines
.......................................they are all her friends helping
.........................with the house

Inside..........................................
he sits at the dining table
old
............and square in the faded
.........................rust-colored room
............................................................... with blackout curtains

Pahn gets up again and parts ..................................
the shades.........................................
...................to see if there is a view.......and finds
...............................................................................that the sun
...................is in the wrong place
...............for the direction he thought he was looking

He makes a sign of..........................
perplexity.........
................................and when they ask
..............................what’s wrong
he says

“I am disoriented”

The older woman remarks

“That’s how it is when
you are married”

Laughter

he wonders
...........if they are
..................................still married living
......................................................................................so far
............................................................................away
from each
....................................................other


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Some of these poems originally appeared in the following publications

Avocet
Dream International Quarterly
mojo risin'
The Muse Apprentice Guild (The MAG)
Transfer

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