soft and sallow
sulking, sunder, stroking willow
the sum of his parts
some tender, sundry other
sought southern shores, in silence
harrowing, path narrowing, but smiling
whiling away time – through glass, studying plant life
something cool glides on his skin
the tubes and trinkets beside him
cold mechanical contraptions slid inside him
from winding dolls and winding cars
to the wound machine that sets his breathing
keeps him afloat and keeps him blinking
keeps the wheel turning, lest its ceasing
though, like winding dolls and winding cars
he wonders, eyes following wind whirred plant life from afar
in time they slow and stop their moving
how long til I unwind and set apart
he stops and recalls the scraping sound
from the workings inside as they resound
from the yard, the bark of his hound
as mother trims the hedge around
he waits for the doll to slow its rounds
patiently waits for it to need wound
"wrap your arms around me, I'll be still."