little footsteps, falling fast
my heart grieves in turn, God
my nerves are shot
threading
through the seats
of that little white chapel
sewing
sinew and bone;
thread alone, thread alone
so he sticks a hand
into the border fires
wets the fray of running wires
with his tongue
swinging, spirit
spirit of inquiry –
then onto his knees
in that little white chapel
stopped as a pendulum
swung onto the asphault
arrested, there, in time
God,
have mercy
grace even a hair—
where is my son?
he asks
dead in the back
of a Mayberry ambulance
stopped as a pendulum
where did you wander to,
where did you come from
God
there,
staring
cries him a tear of Pentecost
where his breath tarries
til' he wakes with a start
where is my son?
think love comes with little cost
little footsteps, falling fast
sleeping like a dead leaf
I make sure he's still breathing
a breath in, a breath out
that licks the flame, makes it weak
so I sleep with eyes as wide as saucers
in fear the candle might be brief
come in, my little selfishness—
don't take him away from me
so further go these little foxes
little footsteps, falling fast
to tear and spoil up the vine
a breath in, a breath out
smoking this wet cigarette
threading
through the seats
of that little white chapel
a breath in, a breath