DRINK (enough)
when will how are you
stop feeling
like a loaded question
will my hands
ever stretch enough to catch
and hold up the waterfall
will I curse it
will I bathe
will my tongue
ever stretch enough
to drink it all
LEAVE THE LIGHT
our love a stubborn stag
lying among shrubbery to die
by some miracle
of old age
instead of bite or bullet
no gruesome wound
no blood
a quiet death
a sigh
just the next
natural step
twitching ears with white tufts
of hair hear thunder
not far away
the beast’s head slumps
and from his antlers come tumbling
pictures of our memories
and in his large black marble eyes
the flicker of lightning
is mirrored in the shifting glare
of the TV as you sleep
with your head in my lap
lower the volume
but leave the light
so the new darkness
doesn’t wake you
softly massage
my fingers in your hair
study your long, black
baby giraffe lashes
I didn’t know then
it was the last time
we’d be so physically close
eye-burning gratitude
for this soft farewell
because if the break
had been violent
I fear my mind
could not snap back
like a brittle rubber band
for how does one recover
from the rending
of their lungs in half
an athlete’s torn tendon
a heart muscle skipping
like a stumbling sprinter
abruptly falling
failing
still
BIRTH MARKS
composure lost
our laughing shadows
sweep over gouges
healing and something
dissolved between us
blameless children again
tie me up
hurriedly but carefully
a small raw smile
pulls at my lips
oh, to see your face just then
rope digs twisting wrist
your hold on my neck
is hesitant but I hope
for pressure— tension
I wonder at your gentleness
your fear
kiss my way around you
stopping only to focus
on birth mark road stops
I bite
down on that sweet slope
above your clavicle
but just a little
not quite committing
was this a let-down
how much pain
were you hoping for
was I just a tease
did you long for blood
an unspoken release
THE TRAIN
throat’s sore
neck tired like
my head’s too heavy
become a universe
and delete all
parasitic text messages
I lost my thought
I missed the train
I find I can’t care
that you’re drowning
downing my coffee
closing my eyes tight