HONORABLE MENTION: To Madeleine, To Judy (Poem after Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”)

To Madeleine

Madeleine, where are you?

or were you there at all?

I never felt you, I never touched you

And now I doubt I ever could

All that time you were above me

While I crawled in the mud

I tried to reach you, but I fell back

I never felt you, I never touched you

I never soiled you, I never stained you

You stayed clean up there, I sunk further down

Stay up there, Madeleine

I’ll watch you from down here

To Judy

Judy, what are you?

Or what could you be?

I can help you, I can fix you

And now I know I will

All this time you’ve been beneath me

While I’ve stared at the clouds

I didn’t see you, but I do now

I can help you, I can fix you

I’ll improve you, I’ll remake you

You’ll go higher, I’ll lift you up

Climb up here, Judy

You’ll rise from down there