Little Moment In the Universe

I was to be in a film during the pandemic To deliver a public service message From a chair Crew re-arranges the screws of the room Seals the blinds and sets up equipment Makeup lady approaches me Surgical mask binding her face I Being the alleged subject Unmasked She bends down to me Moves her face close to mine As if she wants to kiss me Her lustrous black hair piled to her shoulders Eyes of Zana dark and enchanted Re-arranging why I thought I was here Head tilts to all my flaws Hands hover and hesitate Like I’m a crystal ball coming to focus Mesmerizing eyes Narrow To find my lines Thick eyebrows rise Before conjuring in her mind An acceptable face From this “Where are you from?” I ask “Bosnia, my sweet.” She says in a forest accent I try to impress “Your family brought you here from the war?” She gives little hint “Mmmm Something yes like that.” My face gets heavier with her colors and creams “May I ask your name?” “Merjem.” “Beautiful.” I accidentally say out loud My face cringes I’ve caused her more work and trouble Lifted from her pallet to this payday canvas “Remain still.” She hushes From behind her covered self-portrait I think of candlelight dinners with her at midnight At a downtown café in a cobblestone alley Knee to knee under a white-clothed table Old fairy books leather in our fingers Devouring my poems Hanging her paintings She is wet to the cup of my lips Toast of my hands Those eyes My only purpose for living If only the mask could drop from her face If only I was detached If only we were 20 years ago If only I was 30 pounds thinner If only we weren’t all sick and scared If only these microphones and cameras weren’t here If only we could recall past lives If only the end could begin anew But I knew I had always always loved her Someday.