James Shea

WAKE

Shirt came to mourn my chest.

Shoes, the arches of my feet.

Cufflinks, my wrists. Hat, my head.

Socks, my toes, and buttons, my fingers.

Tie came to mourn the nape of my neck.

Belt, my waist. Jacket, my shoulders.

Glasses, my temples and bridge of my nose.

Underwear came and cried at the casket.

Underwear, who knew me best.

JAMES SHEA is the author of two books of poetry, The Lost Novel and Star in the Eye, both from Fence Books. A former Fulbright Scholar in Hong Kong, he teaches in the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing at Hong Kong Baptist University, where he is also the Associate Director of the International Writers’ Workshop.