the why and the how i might never find out

he lies on the floor
her skin slides across
the hair on his legs
and the bites from yesterday's

pests
would they ever go away

name tags

how many years
have you breathed?

exhale

now will you
take me apart

set me on fire
now will you

inhale

now will you make
thirty years grow apart

again.

be then

be the snowflake in my hair

be the stranger's finger in my side, walking

be the laugh that came out of nowhere, headed north

be the chocolate melting on lips and teeth

be then, be there

be at the door when i bark

be at the light when i park

stopped, the car rolls back

then green, i go, i go

then be there

be there when i come.

when i hung up

he caught me crying.
the dog was trying

to comfort me.
he opened the door.

he closed the door.
the dog ran away

to him,
jingling tags.