I had a house so empty
once

it would sway in the wind
like a song you close
your eyes to

it had a space for each day
of the week
seven rooms all quietly waiting
for you

i’m dying soon
on the side of a highway
as cars pass like comets
and trucks rumble by
to stir the gravel
as avid teeth sniff
me out to pull
at my porcelain skin
before the bird beaks leap
from the sky
to peck at what’s left
of my brushfire bones
i’m dying soon
and it may just
feel
like any other day
that i’ve known

i am never leaving here
i will sway and swing
and fill the humidity around me
with all the flavors
that once ran through
this beating body
but I will not leave
you see
i never saw things upside down
until we ran from everything
until legs sold out
and spent themselves on love
on you
and all it bought
was a grandstand view
of you
still running
still living

tonight i swam in the water
color canvas of sunset
blue to orange
orange to pink
pink to red
red to black
it's almost like going
to sleep
light to dark
a warm body squeezing
back into the womb
maybe
it is all a dream
a twenty-four hour trance
and i'll wake one
reserved january morning
clammy
and clawing for air

you can’t jar the lightning bug
for long before the light
becomes night again

the baby bird lost from the nest
can’t follow the chirps
and arm-flapping, you see
i could teach you to fly
yet
you will eventually
find ground
if it’s my flight you follow

i was never meant for the places
you perch
it was wonderful while it was
but, i could never stay
no matter
how much i flap my arms

We could breathe in

Our bubble, steaming the sides
And float like hotel soap

In the ocean. Who knows,
Maybe one day we'll land.

I feel like we're the only ones left here.

Your friend is on the floor, black-nyloned
Legs spilling into acute angles. Heels off,
Laughing at how fast she fell backwards.

Other than yelling, all I could say was that
I love you very much, and we all laughed
At that too.

Call me a sucker.

Here it is again; you're sorry,
You're an *******,
You'll never do it again,
You care, and you do love me.

These arguments fit your face so well.
Hair-twirling, the wet eyes that grab
Everything. Full lips parting and all
I can think about is pushing them back.

Soon I'll have my hands on your ribs,
And we'll both blow, and I'll fall to sleep
Like a grand piano from the 9th floor. Once
I crash I may dream that it's all okay. And you will shower, to wash all that good **** away.

head over heels
hand over mouth
this sweet cruelty of love
beckoning blasts;
the bomb
that keeps burning