orthogonal

Galileo showed us the way
things work apart from each other
drop the ball shoot the bullet
both hit the ground the same
time and space separate the x’s
y’s and z’s functioning independently
perfect parabola path of their coming
together only to part the same
signal mixed with carrier wave
coming apart to music on my radio

but I am always falling in love
this voice this face that rock
this leaf let me take it make it 
mine eat it up and draw it into
let me ride it to my immortality
learning stupidly and slow
that the plucked flower dies

that love is letting be 
just itself   separate from me
I’d only muddy it    as I am
content with the trees with stars
distant in their heaven
let me learn from Galileo
to swerve aside to let you be
you   away    that 
                       that is loving you
 

David Banach teaches philosophy in New Hampshire, where he tends chickens, keeps bees, and watches the sky. He has published poems most recently in Prometheus Dreaming, Lavender Lime Literary, Hare’s Paw, and the Poet’s Touchstone. He also does the Poetrycast podcast for Passengers Journal.