this cloak of tattered
wishes stitched and gathered
by weary fingers you
placed upon my shoulders
allowed me passage
through dreary nights
storm-ravaged
days
safe, though not entirely
unattacked
i climbed crawled dragged limped
just as you said
i could though i didn't
believe
over stony sharp crags
barren slopes
through treeless forests
where all the owls stood
earthbound
past clinging vines wet
and heavy with unfulfilled
dreams
into icy winds that rent flesh
from my sodden bones
into and upon waters so
deep and dark and roiled
not a human eye could see what
hells their depths succored
until at last
with the weight of never-ending night
the cloak
and i
reached forth and fell
limp
into your embrace

a heart has many hands
i whispered  
while moonlight stole
through the tears in our blinds
but her breathing never
changed, never
hinted
she had heard and so
i rolled away, sensing
the dog shift
in its soft bed upon the floor
and tried
to pretend
i hadn't really said it

Down a narrow pass we swept
  her eyes before me born
of love and loss and hallow'd oath
to cruelest vict'ry sworn

My blade a broken, sallow friend
  her locks my breath caress
o night o day o snow-shorn fields
and onward swings the press

Of hooves on stone and bloodied grass
  her hands beneath my cloth
a voice in foreign tongue on ice
through shatter'd lips does froth

We called to mind warm flower'd fields
  her legs round mine did wind
to soothe our longing hearts of loss
yet never ours to find

And ever stretch'd the Roman leagues
  her touch upon my back
while leathern jerkins, helms of bronze
the northern axe does hack

The city's warm the old men say
  her laughter fills my heart
while oxen pull and steam and sweat
and bodies fill the cart

A sputt'ring blaze, a mountain *****
  my breath against her *******
and blacken'd arrows streak through night
to claim our yeomen's chests

A narrow range no place to fall
but onward pound the drums
o'er stone and snow and bloodied earth
and ever forth death comes

     her eyes, her locks
     her hands, her gaze
     her touch
     her laughter, gone
     and mine the breath
     through broken mouth
     that life once dwelt upon

I'll be here

waiting

even when it's late
and the night is windy
the sky low, wet, dark
the others having
left
so just go ahead
my love
and take
your time
I will be
here

Lying discarded and torn
upon an autumn path
a pair of paper wings I found
one a little damp
along the trailing edge
the other sun bleached and rippled
from some long ago summer day

So of course I strapped them on
looked around
and, well, flapped
hesitantly at first, but after feeling
that alarming little
     tug
of lift
I really went at it
beating the air about me
breathing hard
and then I was airborne
floating
lurching
tilting and leaning
climbing skyward

The little birds
and insects of the green and flying
sort
fell silent about me, watching
while upward I pulled
smiling

Baby, I think

I'm

falling

I know, love you too
let's stay
together
no matter what
and cabins and rivers then
streets
of Copenhagen and back
to cabins and winters and
books and papers
then back for a defense and then
back again and oh my god
I think
I'm pregnant
I have a surprise, don't
make any plans
what is it
will you marry
me
of course, Baby, of course
I got a job
let's go, let's move
and the baby's crowning, now
push
and a little apartment atop
a house atop
a hill atop
a life fresh begun
my god, Baby I can't
believe it
hi Dad you're going to be
a granddad again
well you better get
off the **** phone
and get to the hospital
look at her little crooked
nose
I didn't sleep
did you
and here we are
there we were
what's for dinner
let's put on your shoes
pick up your socks
time for daycare
we're moving back
to the States
Baby, oh my god, I'm
pregnant
guess what, Mom
I can't believe we
have our own
house
mint elf
time for your bath
can we get a kitten?
happy birthday
Mommy my shoes don't fit
where's my backpack
a cold winter night
a hot summer day
turn off the tv
let's go for a bike ride
good night, Daddy
time to get up, Sweetheart
What did the vet say?
Zoe has cancer
when you have time
will you make me breakfast
I'm scared
my new teacher is really
loud
I'm tired
don't feel good
practice violin
Merry Christmas
my belly hurts
mow the lawn
let's rake the leaves
can we jump in them
I got an A
shovel the sidewalk
trips to the beach
can we go sledding
I'm going to sign up
for track soccer football
can I get a phone
you have riding today
there's nothing
to eat in this house
I want to take dance
everyone needs
to take a turn
I want to be a cheerleader
for Halloween
there's no
clean
laundry
I need new boots
can we go to New York
congratulations
I can't believe it's
over
already
Baby, I think I'm

falling

I know, me too
I'm here
just
for
and just
with
you

I'm in the fireplace
again
and no one can see me
because I'm
STILL
and quiet
and gray brown flat
and ancient
just like the bent iron grate
that holds me up

days
go by, cool nights
and I sit and
WATCH
from in here
as they walk by
talking
laughing
drinking their coffee
and wine
entirely unaware and happy
while I sit
alone
squinting, breathing
everything very
SLOW
and just fine by me