cat in the windowsill I cross my legs
on the smaller softer couch blinded like I
wouldn’t have it anyway else
clean glasses for the clean beams
clean left hand for the coffee
solitary where later I will not be

the year of the paper-cut slows to a trot when I squint
***** rug through narrow iris pure white in the meantime
the year of the paper-cut giving way early to first-aid spring

break, break, break they kept saying
cat in the windowsill I cross my legs
say back no, I will not

quiet melting from the gutter
quiet trilling from the guitar
quiet sunshine on my knees
quiet sidewalk waiting patient
for quiet
warm
feet