are you supposed to feel afraid when tasting daylight
after a long night?
am I supposed to shake and ache, at the idea of
sunshine on my face?

what is there to fear? you ask.
everything.

just a hint, a glimpse –
of a world, a life bathed in gold
and it will never be enough.
I will leap into the sky,
to capture the sun –
and swallow it whole.

it will burn going down,
burn me alive.
make me alive.

that is what is to fear.

For the wolf was not her mother,
No matter how long she clung to her side.
The predator would always treat her as prey.
Left to seek out warmth on her own
In the frigid winter that was her youth.

I was sitting at a table in a café when she walked in.

I said, “Hey, good-looking stranger— would you like a cup of coffee?”

We were laughing, drinking coffee—

when suddenly, she caressed me.

We were heading straight to the wedding—

then I woke up, needing coffee.

the rip roar
splitting the air

man at war
hatred and fear

*******
of sisters and brothers

peoples and land
innocence of children

families torn asunder
grief deep as the ocean.