Julie R. Enszer
Auricomous
is the word of the day
arriving via email
twelve hours before I am
to light the yahrzeit candle
for my sister
twenty-five years
I would have never
described her hair
as auricomous
though she was the blonde
among us
dishwater perhaps
and there was the summer
of sun-in
it turned her hair metallic
like the handbags
we saw people
selling on the streets
when we visited Times Square
three midwestern girls
our mouths agape
at this golden furtive commerce
auricomous
auri is the golden part
from the Latin aurum
au-ri au-ri au-ree
are ye are ye are ye?
Lara, we have traveled so far
since you walked with us
a silver anniversary ago
unclear if I will make it to gold
auricomous auricomous
com-ous com ous come us
but the twenty-five hour burning flame
is golden yes golden
aurum auri are ye
the flame cannot contain
all that has happened since
you died but all day the candle
burning makes me think of you
in the crackling I hear
your golden hair
Are you coming for us?
Julie R. Enszer, PhD, is the author of four poetry collections, including Avowed, and the editor of OutWrite: The Speeches that Shaped LGBTQ Literary Culture, Fire-Rimmed Eden: Selected Poems by Lynn Lonidier, The Complete Works of Pat Parker, and Sister Love: The Letters of Audre Lorde and Pat Parker 1974–1989. Enszer edits and publishes Sinister Wisdom, a multicultural lesbian literary and art journal. You can read more of her work at www.JulieREnszer.com.
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