the man in the black coat
stands behind me
again
to blow
the candles out

I don't even
flinch

I often paid him a visit
when the day was dark
to smear

ink prints & skeleton truths
across my body
palms & skin

if we had been any less
attached to
one another
I might
have even turned

from black to grey
to white

big small beautiful
really real
earth
will you do
the breathing for me
while we
are
away?