magic kiss
to make this
cough go
away?

then three or
four words
waiting to jump
off the cliff

with or
without wings

hope is the thing...

feathers waiting to float on
kinder waves of air.

a love token.
a burnt out matchstick.
a joke from you.

tummy ache
tummy burn
nausea

nuclear rain
nuclear air
or love

you sent a bird,
programmed to
say it for you

i needed no words:
my face spoke for me
warming itself

it could have been
a fever, skin
the color of cough syrup

the color of no air
and no denial,
too much that kindles.