“   today i awoke in the sky.
swells of air (from my lungs
a ribbon of breath and mist)
billowing milky clouds floating

sunshine lapped in warm waves
at my azure-rimmed body (stretches
of skin bleached in heat raindrops
gather and break from my eyes)

an atmosphere shattered (crackled
burned at the force of my fingertips)
every edge of sun-fried frame strain
fingertips in another galaxy another plain

the world pushed me further out
(with a gentle kiss a rush of chill
stars pulled me closer) herded
with its rocky, sharp touch

spiral out of the cosmos (disentangle
my skin becomes galaxies my thoughts
become more) stars suns comets moons
veins of asteroids and hairline dust

planets woven from eyelashes (flesh rips
into cavernous black holes) my entire being
spread across an inky expanse and
today i am another universe   “

a little boy sits on
the top of a staircase

his laden, waterlogged
eyelashes droop

his vision fogs
with salt

his heart pulses hot/cool
snowmelt

throughout the body

there are missing
people

no mother
no father

no brother
only boy

locked in house
too scared to sleep

while snowflakes
fall in unfettered

air
there is joy in storm

if one can see it
through the tears

there is comfort
to be had once

the emotion cools
and tree branches are

unburdened from the
weight of ice

movement happens
up the stairs

dear sister
who the boy forgot

was there
places her hand

upon the boy’s
quivering back

"We call it snow
when the parts of God,

too small to bear, contest our bodies"

and angels tell us
to taste the tears

before they freeze
on our red-rubbed

noses
here, taste your tears

says sister.
*they’re salty, aren’t they?

your face illuminated in the moonlight,
glowing, soft and gentle features—
who were you, i wonder?
the stars above us speckling the sky,
i lean on your side, pain in your eyes,
and through your hurt i realize,
you glance at me, afraid, unsure.
my heart is stricken, my mind, it aches;
the surroundings were no match to your beauty.
i draw my hand meekly to yours,
our fingertips touch, i begin to slow back,
you're scared now, drawing weary breaths,
yet you held my hand, and i felt so real.
closing my eyes, sinking deeper into your arms,
and letting the night encase us both,
the sky felt true and memories numb,
but i knew it was all a dream.

surrender hind-legs
targets yellow spines
yellow stems
flowers blend into frogs
tree frogs tree apples
tree fruit heart numinous
nervousness next level
levitation into vibration
watermelon seeds
stars, steam, sand and shadows
i allow
keep talking spinning
weaving the stars
love is a happy motorcycle
bathtubs zoological
sisters straight eyed sailors
cumber-buns saviors
yawning in the wind
at the hint of a spark
gravity embarks on sacred journeys
desert walks soul visions
quest into westerly winds
pools of tough romance tough love
chances are that now and then
we will pretend
that we are more compassionate
then we are

this life was just
a stepping stone
one her way to bigger dreams

her grip upon time
was lose
as the future
lay in
her palm

focused solely
on the hope
that she was
going far,
her eyes fixed,
on the horizon
and her heart painted
in the stars

but darling,
she couldn't
have told me
all the colors in
a smile,
as she never
laid her
head down
to rest
for awhile.

baby girl
when you
grow older,
know the
colors of
this world
show me the
red of anger
and the
vibrant hues
of joy.

spend a lifetime
gazing at the earth
beneath your feet,
you'll find little
pieces of heaven
between,
grass blades
of the present.