Peggy spent half of each day trying to wake up, and the other half preparing for sleep. Around five, she would mix herself something preposterous and '40s-ish like a Grasshopper or a Brass Monkey, adding a note of gaiety to her defeat. This shadowlife became her. She always had a glow on; that is, she carried an aura of innocence as well as death with her.

I first met her at a party almost thirty years ago. Even then it was too late for tragic women, tragic anything. Still, when she was curled up and fell asleep in the corner, I was overwhelmed with feelings of love. Petite black and gold angels sat on her slumped shoulders and sang lullabies to her.

I walked into another room and asked our host for a blanket for Peggy.

"Peggy?" he said. "There's no one here by that name." And so my lovelife began.

James Tate

EVBVD Music is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of EVBVD Music must be made payable to Fractured Atlas only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.