when you were born
there were stars in the sky,
a full moon rejoicing until

early morning came,
the land had enough
and skinned your knees
bleeding out kindness

into the gravel
when you fell for the last time
pushed over, missing a front tooth
did the hope fall out of you too

did you start to think your hands were too small
to hold your heart anymore
that used to sing to me

or did your heart become too big
for the world
and you thought

hearts were not supposed to beat
but fists were, and fists punched and
bruised

the other little boys do not sing
do not dance, with the planets
applauding their performance

but you will again love
one day i know
i have known how the sun gets covered
by clouds and rain falls on your scars

but there are still stars in the sky
have you lost faith
there are still stars in your eyes

the morning i left when you were still
sleeping but i woke up early to watch the
sun rise and wash the palm trees every color you ever
loved and when the wind blew it whispered through the
palm leaves and the
ivy vines and the
old wood that it was going
to miss me too

to my little brother:
my hands have rested
on plenty of backs and
never knew the
way a spine could feel like a
hundred mountains,
carrying me home,
until i was
smothering vicks
vaporub
when you got
the flu