Threnody for X

you plunged both hands into the black
earth & pulled out music
sampling stone & root
root & bone
mycelia spoke through you
grafted trees to new species of subway cars 
headphone jacked directly into the dirt
i wanted to kiss you and taste a violin 
sample from thirty years ago
the dead musicians work alive again in your mouth
your death, incomprehensible
meaning something stood under keening
meaning a requiem derived from the study 
of silence— 
now that i no longer speak
to anyone who knew you 
when you were alive
i mark your death in silence
scrub the goat’s blood
from the door to call the angel inside
pour him a glass of something clear 
see if he’ll spend the night.
across the city they are gathering 
together your name
they are playing your music
across the city
i do the same with my headphones on
walking blocks we never did
far from ohio 
bluetooth paired with the river