Quintet

From Growtastic

Back behind me the lake is burning

and I thought I lost you in the fog

A bullet through the blue from the heat in my chest

How many miles away can smoke signals carry the distance between us

The distance between us is settled

It’s been weeks since I calmed under the break of a coast

I always wanted to watch you break between ribs

Watch the words crawl out

not clutched in embrace

myself kept calm within cold mornings

waiting to feel the rush of willowed velvet touch

never hearing the echo from orange sun rising, steaming

birds sing

alone on the branches

buoyant at the bending and creaking