Bright and burning in my pumping veins

the lonely morning before you rise

spent dreaming others’ perfect names

darling, there’s only you

can lip me from this edge

one memory left to toss

so I think real hard about

the time at that old house

heard teens coo 100 miles out

breaking bottles with their shoes

you always knew what to do

you touched me

you coughed

eyes cast out toward the bridge

not quite ready to push off

at the tree we both might have lost our kiss

caught beside the harbor’s sinking ships

you fading like a sad ghost at my fingertips

me, I was a lost child only waiting for a gift

now it’s morning and I feel stronger

think I’ll stay inside a little longer

wear that silver chain you gave me loose around my neck

the cool quick medal swings across my chest

its you, only you, and you’re about to come home

pearl morning light, my lips cotton to your cheek bone.

bright dependable

he is

Selfish full of youthful glee humor

maybe shards of projection

his darkness is real you

See this clearly

all the sand pushed

around like a retaining wall

Quick fire cut off

erasing everything

while the child dreams

Of future

failures sees

morning

Sour embarrassing color

sun dashes behind a cloud

listens for an amber tongue

He knows its true knows its true

Knows someone brings something

if you wait for that perfect wave

Knows the satisfying knock

that looses the trophy out of your

into his tiny pink hands sparkling

Over the long eventually repeating

line each passing minute

a new angle for admiration

Until the quiet night

the heavy heave

moon sick with labor

In the salty light

on his hands & knees

maybe laughing

With his shoulders

bright, dependable

full of youthful glee.