Likely in the world,
we all love to step over each other.
But if we're all each other's step,
where's this staircase leading up to?

As the sun is set
apart from the dark
As the moon is set
in it's reflection.
I too, set apart
from the dark and reflected of light.

Let me be your match
Light me up
And I will be your light
Thru the darkest nights
As I burn in flames
And wish my blaze will last longer
This fire will be your comfort
And I care not to become ashes
For I have given you my all
But grant me one favor
Always remember my flame.

As pure as her complexion—
a tinge of ivory and heaven.
Her flaming wick and fire ardent,
how have they gone nowhere?

Radiating warmth in the darkest,
now an extinguished candle.
She begs to be rekindled,
afraid to die before her death.

the lady has me temporarily off the bottle
and now the pecker stands up
better.
however, things change overnight--
instead of listening to Shostakovich and
Mozart through a smeared haze of smoke
the nights change, new
complexities:
we drive to Baskin-Robbins,
31 flavors:
Rocky Road, Bubble Gum, Apricot Ice, Strawberry
Cheesecake, Chocolate Mint...

we park outside and look at icecream
people
a very healthy and satisfied people,
nary a potential suicide in sight
(they probably even vote)
and I tell her
"what if the boys saw me go in there? suppose they
find out I'm going in for a walnut peach sundae?"
"come on, chicken," she laughs and we go in
and stand with the icecream people.
none of them are cursing or threatening
the clerks.
there seem to be no hangovers or
grievances.
I am alarmed at the placid and calm wave
that flows about. I feel like a ***** in a
beauty contest. we finally get our sundaes and
sit in the car and eat them.

I must admit they are quite good. a curious new
world. (all my friends tell me I am looking
better. "you're looking good, man, we thought you
were going to die there for a while...")
--those 4,500 dark nights, the jails, the
hospitals...

and later that night
there is use for the pecker, use for
love, and it is glorious,
long and true,
and afterwards we speak of easy things;
our heads by the open window with the moonlight
looking through, we sleep in each other's
arms.

the icecream people make me feel good,
inside and out.

afraid
afraid of what she could do
afraid of who she could be
shutting off and powering down
only to see what she closed her eyes to avoid