***

And, Ruffin and I are struggling.

These memories remain indelibly:

 

Tantrum

A practiced love of sameness:
As in this wild flapping and pacing . . .
Grunting is how he speaks to me.
A thing he wants is somewhere
In the world—find it! by

Looking
Everywhere.  At all cost, avoid his tantrum.
A persistent love of sameness:
As in never move the salt and pepper . . .
As he does not speak to people, do not move
A thing in his world.
This will avoid his asking
Where?
This will avoid his tantrum.

A perseverative love of sameness:
As in, do not change anything . . .
As he does not speak to people, even me,
A thing in his world
He may love—but whom he will avoid,
By looking
Elsewhere.  And avoid his tantrum.