how a man builds fires, one twig at a time

trestle snakes of the weight of light smoke nozzles the wings of a moth the sun flies screaming into night like a midnight flood of fire echos of hard steps linger in the mosque hurricanes wither the heart's loss the constellations cuts the sky in half cinders and crickets in the bell tower send all the spiders running swarming in frantic mobs as apples fall from trees to the ocean moans darkly blue where crabs nest in yellowing skulls the gulls all flee from here the lighthouse never cuts this fog soon the moon will rise cast patterns on yr eyes and winds like the breath of god sing yr name whistling despite the dry heat of my thoughts the tarantulas dance with saints again a bat flies drunkenly into mirrors tonight woodsmoke lingers with a wisp of dawn rain down heavy pollen like meteors from my flowering thoughts of you and the ache you carry from another weary fight clouds make love on this barren land the seeds of our souls make green desert sands and orchards bloom granite doldrums of smoldering sighs frogs drone the end of night i watched a snail crawl across a straight razor like an assassin stalking assassins from the valley the echos of evil laughs where crocodiles rip babies in half and chew them languidly like pears and the drums and pipes of pan tear tears off the face of children like the smoke of fires from the tents of a wandering tribe one more cry before my heart is swallowed by all the hours between us uncounted both our hands reaching for something all these thoughts dance in veils to keep me from howling tonight bite down on an olive branch i tried not to think of this i sat down over the poppy fields and fell into a half dream of flowers in bloom and raging jungles of flame despite the turbulence of scattered darkness and whispered vows i will never forget promises made are promises kept in case i wasnt clear i wont ever leave you i cant ever leave you i dont even try our fate has already been set Written February 23rd, 2002 © on Feb 23 2002 04:41 AM PST   0 • 8