Athens

To you
every building had
a story.

Every sorority house
its own memory
and you were part
of all of them

but this had been
years ago
and your memories
had been muted by time

only the good things remained
I'm sure there were bad things
time heals but doesn't change

The fraternity
comprised
of closeted gay men

your drinking buddies
in photos you had showed me

the day overcast
beginning of winter

and I remember thinking
why would anyone
want to live in such a
ratty place?

you pointed out
the details of your riotous
youth

the prominent southern
literary figure
you danced with
long ago

he is now deceased
as is the town you once knew

the eternal middle aged
banter
wishing to escape the rat race

but all cities
have their rat races

on the way home
listening to the new albums
I had purchased

while stuck in traffic
some seventy miles away
from home

you deliberately flipped off
a song that reminded me
of my riotous miserable youth.

it was the perfect
symbolism for a union
about to grow sour.