Those random faces
In familiar places
Dancing to the dawn

I waited for hours
In the rain to see your face
Yet made it my own

Have you ever sifted for humans
those beyond the impulse of a beast?
Those that would not
gnaw off their own leg to escape the trap,
or eat their young to survive,
or climb upon dying friends to escape the fire.

Yes, I have sifted for humans
and I found only the one,
and the beasts killed him.

Behind green eyes a retinal flash
subdues a gentle sense of knowing
with a half worn smile
she calculates line and speed
though unimpressed with detail
she's alert to every possibility
and snatches a glance there
her widening gaze settled
followed by a measured blink
of pure satisfaction
a buzz of a wasp
and a flick of an ear
all is well with her world.

It was here, he said
In my hand, not far from sleep
Too far the dream of ocean blue.

And she laughed,
As her hand swept the sand
Looking for jewels
Looking for recognition
Looking for the grain
Looking for proof.

If wishes were fishes there'd be a shoal
and butterfly kisses a countless toll
but seek and be wary of what you desire
lest you live out your dreams in misery's fire.

The disinfectant
Masking a splash of *****
Has curbed my hunger