Saturn

J. was born eighteen times
Between graduating high school
And the one hundred year reunion
At St. Thomas High

He was born as a burglar
A devastatingly handsome movie star
A ramen noodle
A brick in the Great Wall
A woman named Jenny
And a note in a symphony

His talent was kissing
So much so
That everyone kissed him
Upon first meeting him

And he adored it
He adored his talent

When he returned to St. Thomas High
He had lost four hundred pounds
Of course, some of it had come back
Luckily, or he'd be just a few bones
And a smile

He walked into the cafeteria
And the first person to hug him
Was Linda
Who had been born just the day before
And was covered in blonde hair

'It's a transition,' she said
'I love it,' J. said

And then he saw Turlington

He was made up completely of marshmallows
And he was dancing with Queen Victoria

The tiles on the floor beneath them
Were lighting up with memories
Of the Revolutionary War
Which all of them had abstained from fighting in
And the Disco Era
And the year the sun melted everything
And the return of the Lizard King
And the Depression
And the Uplifting
And the Renaissance
And 1992

J. asked to cut in
And Queen Victoria smiled
And stepped aside

J. danced with Turlington
And before he knew it
They were on Saturn
While all around them
Their classmates were clinking glasses
And congratulating each other
On maintaining marriages
And immortality

All said the same thing--

'Wow, J. lost weight.'

And he had

He lost one hundred years of sadness
All in one moment
Feeling Turlington's hand in his hand
And his eyes in his eyes
And his feet side-stepping Turlingtons' feet
And each becoming one becoming several becoming time
Becoming ideal

He was no longer a shadow in a cave
But the fire itself

And it was a brilliant fire

'I was wondering when this would happen,' Turlington said
'I thought it would take another ten or twenty,' said J.

And the band played 'Downtown Train'
And the classmates held their mysteries

Until Saturn
Was ready
To hear them