The lighter I lit my first cigarette with
The lighter that gave me my first burn
The lighter that I drew band logos on
The lighter my best friend gave me
The lighter my best friend stole for me
The lighter that was in my pocket when I kissed a girl for the first time
The lighter I still keep even though it doesn't light
The fire that accidentally set my carpet on fire
The lighter that guided me through the tunnels
The lighter that fell out of my pocket when I kissed the boy I loved
The lighter I love
The lighter who's love is not returned
The lighter that fell on the floor in class
The lighter that got me written up
My lighter
The lighter I can't refill
The lighter with no purpose
Only memories
The lighter
My lighter
My perfect lighter

Darkness
as black as your eyelid,
poketricks of stars,
the yellow mouth,
the smell of a stranger,
dawn coming up,
dark blue,
no stars,
the smell of a love,
warmer now
as authenic as soap,
wave after wave
of lightness
and the birds in their chains
going mad with throat noises,
the birds in their tracks
yelling into their cheeks like clowns,
lighter, lighter,
the stars gone,
the trees appearing in their green hoods,
the house appearing across the way,
the road and its sad macadam,
the rock walls losing their cotton,
lighter, lighter,
letting the dog out and seeing
fog lift by her legs,
a gauze dance,
lighter, lighter,
yellow, blue at the tops of trees,
more God, more God everywhere,
lighter, lighter,
more world everywhere,
sheets bent back for people,
the strange heads of love
and breakfast,
that sacrament,
lighter, yellower,
like the yolk of eggs,
the flies gathering at the windowpane,
the dog inside whining for good
and the day commencing,
not to die, not to die,
as in the last day breaking,
a final day digesting itself,
lighter, lighter,
the endless colors,
the same old trees stepping toward me,
the rock unpacking its crevices,
breakfast like a dream
and the whole day to live through,
steadfast, deep, interior.
After the death,
after the black of black,
the lightness,-
not to die, not to die-
that God begot.