beneath the creaking
boughs i searched for
a single reason
watched the wind
make whispering
secret tellers of dark
leaves larger than
my heart
(any reason at all)
i watched the sun
nose up against
the pale green
curls of future
champagne grapes
felt the glossy heads of
orchids
i sat quietly in
the delta breeze
laid the cards out in
a pretty fan
shook my mantle off
in the world that is unsummer
in the field that said
stay out
along the path of the dead
arms akimbo
waiting for a
god damn
sign
a raven flew across
my window
this morning
and someday
i want to tell you
the story about
how complete
strangers
almost named
me
raven
and how even at first
breath i knew
better than
to cry
aloud
do not call out
let your wings dip low
under the hem of the clouds
let their great swollen
bruised
bodies press against you
ask each one questions
you have always wondered and
before their next loud
lament
wrap your fingers around their
cold morphing faces
take your best
breath
and drink their tears
until you remember you
can cry
too
you do not choose
warrior
rather warrior is
gold dust
pressed into your
eyelids every sleep it
flows through your
hands when you
sing
dance
dream
write
warrior tells you
to hold your heart
in one hand
your sword
in the other
and don’t you dare
flinch
warrior turns your face
to the sun
opens your palms to
the moon
knots and unknots
your guts
until you can
see clearly
until you say
clearly
no
down the alley
before the sun
sweeps across the streets
down the alley and into
the dark where
only the gleam of
teeth and
eyes tell you
of another
wild flower
who prefers
moonlight
down the alley
found your name
written crookedly
across the
bricks
down the alley
remembered how the
chill of
dawn covers
a body like
cold satin
down the alley
where everything smells
honest
down the alley
found your name
again because
i wrote it
