slither steady,
holy, swollen tongue.
grace the ear
with silky sorrow; wind
is hollow, is a whisper

is silence between
skin when hips are hips
are rose-hips, horsewhips
hollow

of butter in summer
and honey in autumn.

thicken, my throat,
morning will liquefy and harbor
your thoughts, sleep steady
syllables,
breathe silently in the night;

sleep steady.