she stomps her feet into the earth to fall backward
but the swing drags her back
snaps the thin neck harsh and warm
narrowed eyes into the wind
feet flexed to crack the wispy sky in white wafer pieces
they melt on my tongue.

remember when you made ******* sounds
and said what about the end of the world?
whispered soft and close:
would stars hurtle to burn the distorted landscape
consume the people left screaming clinging to this discarded crust
          we once believed was our whole world?
you were morbid but laughed; i frowned.

kick and kick and kick
defy gravity; chip away at this atmosphere
bring the astronauts and satellites home.
          (we’ll crumble together, you said.)