25

maybe ten minutes, quarter of an hour
I usually go for a morning swim
I don’t think I’ve seen you here before
– And where is here?
– Bethells

A strange thing happens when he hears the name
he knows it
of that he’s sure
but somehow the information accompanying it
won’t come
is it a place he’s heard of? been to?
dreamed of, perhaps?
it’s not like
Tir-nan-og, Atlantis, Avalon
he knows he’ll recognize it if only
if only what?
if only he can remember more about himself

Curious
he can still visualize the riverboat dream
the day at school
the couple on the street
but nothing else
no name, address
age, weight, height, nationality
this girl is real
the beach is real
& he’s right here
the rest has faded
that guy, the other teacher
he’d be able to explain it easily
he’d say, what a cliché, what a cheesey soap-opera trick
Amnesia
you cannot be serious
but he is
somehow, he is