Deep in couch cushions blue velvet I found a movie ticket
Sliding my hand down the wall between the wet brick I hid my jar
Once when vacuuming a couch, a spider as big as my hand popped up surprised
And I screamed surprised
And the children screaming ran to me
Which is to say they ran towards the spider between them and me
So I screamed, No! and, Stay Back!
Only a crease of memory
There’s a door in my heart where the light pours through
Through the edges and cracks as I bump it closed on my way to you
In my memory dark in your chains and gray
Still as magical as we met that day
I demand what I always demand of you
To break the spell that bound me to you
But again you extend your hand
Say let’s dance as the world ends
But you sink down and sigh
Say let’s dance before I die
Shackles still
All is still
As I creep down the hall
Pull open the door in my heart til the light pours in
the shift of branches
Voices
all the breathless nights
When
I hid tween dark corners
Just another vision
High hat strike to the low ground running
Beating back all the naysayer’s flames
Taking apart all the clockwork hearts
Looking for one that beats the same
As mine starts to dry out
Past me still cries out
Riding out to greet you
Screaming is it still true
Is it still true
Learned to dance alone
Not following your dance steps
Ha! Then the mirror shows
Your ghost leading me along
Flickering photographs
Stories told
He’s removed five from this show
Memories he’d rather watch alone
Or forget altogether.
How long I counted my steps along the bank I can’t recall
But when my breath was measured counting on the in and out
He was beside me -eyes sweeping the beach scene
Here again- creature that you are-
And off he went not once interrupting my counting breath
Only I missed him instantly and when I reached the wall- 10,000 steps- I turned pushed off the brick
And made the long walk back.
I started my car- he breathed in the first lyrics cooed a chorus
Counted the miles home
I turned off the engine
Looked back at his whistling figure kicking stones
He’s always making sure I get home
The older we get the easier it is to cry at endings that fake a death
For we’ve seen it in our own lives on our own hips
From death we believe in life
For we cannot despair without hope
Still as stones, eyes retreat from summer sun
She places a hand upon the brass forehead
The edge of shadow
The chill chalk outlining her features
Day just begun
He sends a thousand cranes to flight
a fear of hand rippling through the flock
A shockwave of graves bursting from earth
AbyKittiwake 