After an Argument

for what it’s worth—
the geese came back yesterday
weeks ahead of schedule.

before we moved here,
after I got tired of
our apartment in the city,

we saw them land perfectly
in the backyard of a house we
were considering

& I said, certain of it,
this is the one, because
I was lost, reeling, &

the idea that something so
miraculous as geese casually
landing in the backyard

could be routine enchanted me
& said serious things about
the person I could become.

so we bought the house,
accumulated furniture &
other heavy things, &

we lived as carefully as we could,
trying not to hold anything too tightly,
though we are inherently clumsy

& still broke so much in our living.
anyway, the geese. they keep
coming back, year after year,

& there is a strange pride in me,
for us, that they choose
our yard to gather in

again & again,
& I can’t help but feel blessed
because of it, but also

because when I yell excitedly
about their return, you come to
the window & hold my hand

like we could ever be responsible
for such a beautiful thing,
& undoubtedly, between us,

there is mending.