To See the Queen

Since I was the one who had been ill,

it was she who came to see me.

Everyone wanted a glimpse of her.

The people emerged from their houses toward mine

and with such caution. 

They made a visor of their hands.

It was as if they were to be accounted for,

wading the long uphill, little moving triangles

all I could distinguish at first.

But the queen came to see only me and I saw her.

And my life for a while was forgotten

and so repaired.

"To See the Queen" is from To See the Queen (Persea Books, 2013) and first appeared in Poetry.