a sinking of the teeth, i dont wanna hear this, i’ve never heard
you say it, not so loud, not like this and i feel as if the clouds
are conspiring against me, and the leaves have turned the sharpest just
before winter and if there was a way around it, i expect you to find it
to put the curves into it and the corners to rest, have the cement edges
weathered down by tongues and hold my hand through it all,
i’ve been done long enough to have it all come to this, to stray pebbles
caught beneath the heel, sand and dirt in my hair to coughing
and i dont wanna hear the tremor of your voice or the wind pushing
against the door or empty branches
only the sound of a palm caressing the cheek before leaving
of putting my eyes to rest