"suspire \suh-SPAHY-uhr\, verb: To utter with long, sighing breaths."

it hurts in the rain

rain falls on you

you on me

me, always missing just a few

few seconds when i think

think of lips sounding out

out of the dulled peace tones

tones of your mouth

mouth to mouth of mine

mine for the lost syllables i left behind

behind your hand

hand here, hand there,

there it was

was that all

all is not enough tonight

tonight i want more

more.

lips walk in between
the doors ajar
the wind comes through
the cotton comes off
wind whispers through
soft cotton lips

just keep me warm
just keep me warm.

at the bar.

she looks tormented and monstrous

at the side of the photo, she sits screaming

her face is stout but stretched long with a sudden

opening of her mouth, an unnatural smile

(this photo is soundless)

her eyes are glaring in triangles of happiness

or rage

or today, they are the same thing, at the bar,

she screams for a drink of what he has

whatever he has in that cup that has made him

sitting next to her

so calm and still

but he's not that

and if she bothered to look at him she would see

his mouth's corner lifted into an uncomfortable spot

on his dull face a look of dismay and annoyance

this lady

she needs to sit down

and breathe.

feet (5.9-10.10)

my heels are always dirty from running around

in the grass

they won't wash off

in the sink

my feet are dirty

but my feet are not 

I, try

to wash them clean

feet

i will let you become me

fear

i will let you become me too

so long as

you let me live

so long as

you let me 

walk in dirt

do not 

let me sink in mud

rain, dust, spit, shit

blame me for these steps

feel the bit of gravel twist

bite on your skin

bruise easily?

has it squeezed through

your tough layer weak layer?

do not

twinge

keep running

(bleeding?)

(it is inside.)

(let it.)

loose (5.8.10)

each knot in your spine slides in place

throat taut like a rubber band about to break

stretched like the sound of his voice crying

to sleep

she tells me 

i feel calm but heavy

heavy

she tells me

there's no baby inside

inside

there's calm but heavy

blank papers

we look better covered

with each other

you grew on me

with your fingers washing through my hair

your glide down my back

yours in my mouth

yours in mine

your cells dying as i held them

here

and there

yours in mine

in the asking stage

beckoned.

like last year, the way she loved me on the grass
in need of a cut
soon
the mosquitoes will bite us
and you will not care
and i will scratch my own skin until
it breaks
and soon you will love me
the way i think i love you
i love you the way she thinks i do
and soon the sky will turn a deeper blue
until we call it black
for ease
and you're blue until i call you grey
until you call yourself grey
because blue is too beautiful
too heavy on your face
thin
skin stretched
pulled into the space
pulled out from your flesh
i have you in my hand
your blue
your grey
colors of unloved words
colors of unloved skin.