Navy coffee mug with dregs of
apple juice and *****
is stained with deliberate
plum colored lipstick
Black lined cat eyes
Narrow above the smoke
Only to smile,
if only just for a while
before gazing again into the navy abyss
deep, down further

wrinkled wretched writing hands
twist and bake like the
fingers of gnarled winter wood
in the Honest december sun.

and the scarlet berries of unknown descent
Pop like kernels of corn
under the intense heat of scrutinizing eyes
imploring, why?

and of course the leaves
shuddering in the wind
with thoughts unbearable!
like the winters to come,
the winter that is here
and the slow draining of
scarlet, fire, sunrise
down into grass conditioned to
be green
Be Green
no mind the poisons, we want unity!

down into the grass they sink,
dessicating and curling like
the tips of lung cells I know too well.