the dragon soars . . . with hidden swords
the reverend knows the hand of an emperor
in the palm of a boy’s kindness
an old secret that nobody’s meant to know
his life in the spiky balance
who took it?

red healing sand . . . alone
celebrating the child within
crashing white miracles on blue-green motion
every glad step succumbs to cleansing effacement
no-one else there
but the eye of the lens capturing almost all
who took it?

moist dream kept alive . . . gentle pulses
sensing the curve beneath the waves
view obscured by tender energy
waiting for clarity to come
other things must fall and leave things stark
for the circle to keep turning
who took it?

and who took the smiles from the face
I've come to love?