Snap Shot

Cold shadows travel across the faces
An incoming tide
changes pebbles into sand
the marble guards the faded plastic flowers
Half covered in dirt
They shift in permanency as memories die away

Through the stillness of a tunnel well worn,
Footsteps bind us
And I look to see a kite flying high above our heads
It's Connected to a young couple hiding
behind a tower
they wait for a break in the clouds

Under my summer sandals the grass gives way
Your shape grows smaller and smaller, fading into
A dark outline

against an unchanging backdrop
I crest the hill and look back
Seeing the contrast along the edges
The finality of cold stone and a vastness that expands into my heart

Whatever I was thinking
Is carried away on a whisper of wind

Three Headed Man

I can see your thoughts floating around us
You carry three heads upon your shoulders
And you shift your face repeatedly as I watch
I'm stunned by my reflection in your eyes

Do you see something else in me that washes away when you blink?

I can't help wonder
If all that stuff inside of you will implode
tendrils of soft heat parting your lips
Becoming a veil of nothingness

I'm tired
And bored a little
Do what you want
My hands are busy
With something trapped in my mind
if I look away it'll disappear

Anyway...

Isolating Variables

It itched.

Some incessant gnawing – in the silence –
Crawled over his skin under the blanket of night

In response he played a book on tape and filled his mind with steel wool sheep

In sleep she draped her lead cloak over him

Each time her warm breath tickled the hair on the back of his neck
He thought of warm moist soil pressed against his skin

And sleeping, he dreamt of rats
Running from control to cheese
No direction any better than the one before
And this sea of rodents
Carried him along
Till the wall before him dropped

And he heard the familiar melody of soft breathing
and thought of molded clay

Earth, touching his side

Wet and cold

He rolled away and tucked his head to the side
Alone against the edge of the bed