history of want
desire deep in her breath
"say you need me too"

they lived on the corner of
Honest
& Shameful


their days were spent
gathering pennies
for food


& then at night she
would
have herself a bottle
then sink into his
left pocket
lips patiently resting
upon his
collarbone


he never asked her
what for
& she never asked him
what for
so they lived happily
ever after
even if she lost temper
one day
or he left his things in the
wrong **** place
again


they lived
& they lived
but this was a dream
invented in a few
minutes


reality


the many
words she won't
ever say
about skin on skin





& how you never leave
her heart
as soon as you
waltz in

I was careless enough
to leave him in
the garden
alone

he carved himself
out through his
own skin
& bone

I know now to keep
a weather eye on
that clever
boy

all the plants have been
eaten away

& all
the bloodied roses
destroyed

I like it when you make
things
personal
the disregard for space
between
bodies
the shift in your
hip
the quiver in my
lip

there was an art to your
comfort
something that couldn't be
printed into text
the look in your eye
& the tone of your voice
sincerity cannot
draw
on this board

you're too kind to the girl
who envies to the
core

you're too ******* yourself
when love is at your
door

a mildly disturbed mind
with a proper dose
of humor
draws her in
as the light of a fire
would to a trepidatious
moth


she can hear both sides
speak of the future
as if it were a
heaven

days in the mountains
days by the sea side
promised to her
as a medicinal solution
to her dead-set dark
& cynic prophesies

she sees no peace within it
'cause if all you got to
give is sanity
then she'll jump the
cliff
or she'll walk the
plank


just give a little
reality
& tell her there's
no hope
so let's drink and
sing all the good songs
until we
die

she took you for
granted
on the edge of the
meadow


said you'd never
want her
'cause that's not how
far
a friend would
go


& the silence
rang
through the cool
night in late
winter


I just wish you could have
seen her


how many sighs have
made their
farewell descent
past her blushed
& bothered
skin


to protect the impression
you've kept her
within?

to all lost within the
night
to all left behind in
the firefight


she became a caged bird
sullied and shamed
brave enough to sing
through bars in
whispers


the moon pulsates in
the clear dark
& gives her warmth and
wanderlust


she dreams about dancing
in sunlit prairie
meadows


she'll never tell you where
the wind goes
when it steals your hat
& never bothers
to tell you
goodbye


we must all roam the earth
a few times
before we ever come
back home