edges are better felt
beneath the skin
the way the wind

bruises into bone
like folds of water
through which the mind lurks

in naked silence
between gasps of ragged light
those threadbare atoms held

in a spider’s web
the lash of winter
in scarcity measured

where - crippled by time  
my body
split by the darkness
of you
bleeds blue

Death is the color of water
rivers soft and hushed
hard as bone
chambered in the cold caress of silence
the hook of dawn
the wasting night
reddest born
skin of new fire
painting shades
in darkness / wrung

this is the Death I breathe
when fingers crack
from holding the earth together
holding you
holding me
…together

Death is the color of water
a broken ocean
brackish black
the heave of god
so violent as to cut her
blood into the sky
as a conductor might / in symphony
crescendo
then convulse
under the strain of rapture / fly

this is the Death I breathe
when fingers crack
from holding the earth together
holding you
holding me
…together

Death is the color of water
thicker than memory
into consciousness kerf
the rain
the rage
the rhythm
the sea
spilling shadows
where shadows
ought not to be

this is the death I breathe
when fingers crack
from folding the earth together
folding you
folding me
…into violent synchronicity

Let the silence between us
bleed into / a space of absence
and unbury the flesh
within the violence /  
to part deep / the blackness
of starlings / heart held  
melting into the sun /
so beautiful / so cold
that even wings / the shape
of fire / eviscerate
into memory

Cat
In box
Schrödinger
Giddily gawks
Meow?

drowning sorrow
tolls
the burning sea
under sheets of storm
where shadows rupture
into stars
and through infinite mutant night
is where, Death and I
wrapped in strands of silence, fly

Lifeless tree
deep summer swell
mind is weapon
sky is hell  
branch is thorn
silence key
gateless godless  
atrophy

Summer fire
winter locks
ice and flame
in equinox
bloom and buzz
fruit alight
yet lifeless tree
in darkness blight

Hint of blood
in gnarled bough
spits of life
somewhere somehow
chain of fire
knitted sun
whip and thrash
in twilight spun

‘til quiver flick
sweet root and ghost
the twisted spine
consume the host
a lowly bud
through brackish skin
immaculate
in life begin  

A single leaf
from sacred breath
flits upon
this tree of death
little flame
holy hues
on burning sea
our god imbues

So, when darkest dreams  
in wrath arise
stroking red
the silent skies
I hold within
however brief
against my heart
a little leaf

…the shape of dreams
              …ocean glass
blunted drunk
on pebble tumble
under deep winter wave
bleeding darkness
into sparks of fire
effervescent
stirs in old memory
deep colors, tossed beautiful
with a flick of the sun
where nimble cheek kisses
on cold wind
find
a wandering tear