Miss

We know what we miss
Cold tails swishing in the night
It is a horrible
Fragile state
Shrug our shoulders
Feign a smile
We fool the darkness
All is lost in cruelty and demise
What should have been
We discourage it all
Eat the food
Smile and wave
All we crave for is the dark
Peace and silence
Drop the powder
Drink the liquor
Time passes
Seconds tick
We are here
Always here
We know what we miss.

Letter

We write our Christmas letter
Red ink on dusty snow
Fine drops and ink
The boughs are cut
Thick foliage shapes our shoulders
Like a coat
We walk amongst the city spires
The place of our dreams
Look all around us
Refuse to believe
Our arms are bare
We apply a balsam against the cold
Keep walking
Never stop
Run and play
Feel the cool breeze blowing our hair
We are free for now
Keep the letter in our pocket
Hold it tight
Like crushed glass and lucky pennies
We will draw upon it when needed
That is the magic of Christmas
Warm berries and still nights.

Starting Over

We are starting over
Dust down our shoes
Walk in circles
Wait for the powder to come
Two tiny heart beats
Water down our throat
We watch the phone
Wait for it to ring
It never does
Walk in circles
Dust down our shoes
A new dawn is breaking
Light pours in the window
Blue trees and angel hair
It is a new year
Christmas time and bells
We are starting over
Stomp in puddles
Guzzle down stars
It's all so easy
All so hard
Walk in circles
Dust down our shoes
All is quiet
All is well
We sing a song in our head
Listen for his voice
It fades in the wind
But we know he is still there
We will walk in circles today
Starting over
Being free.

Cold

We turn our collar to the cold
Huddle under the valley
A dome of bones
We keep playing
Eating stars
Glowing inside
We will find the end
This limber winter love
The cold doesn't bother us
As long as we keep moving
Shoes wearing down
A song in our head
A man in our dreams
How do we stop the voice from calling
We can't silly
He is telling us what to do
We turn our collar to the winter night.

Peace

We rest our head on the pillow
It is soft
The constant voices rattle in our thoughts
He is watching
Wishing me peace
Hoping for something better
We dust ourselves down
Walk in circles
Marvel at the lights
The adventure starts here
We see signs and symbols
White mice
And purple men
The buildings crumble
We catch the rubble in our hands
Soak in the hot water
Time aches like a broken tooth
We sink back into nothing
Hope for more
The dust gathers around us
We mop it up
Wait for the second hand to move
Always waiting
Always wishing for peace on Earth.

Scruffy

The broken boxes line the walls
We are living in scruffy
Thin paws scrape our throat
The powder makes us dizzy
Mounts up in our lungs
We hold the applause for a minute
Have to keep busy to weather the storm
We take tea with mice and Cheshire cat
It's been a while since we saw Hatter
Say grace at the table
Swallow the sweet nectar down
Words fail us
We grapple for them in the night
It is cold and lonely in this house
We walk the dark streets
Turn our collar to the rain
Let the water dampen those boxes
Flush them away
Never to be seen again.

Play

We play silent games
Fresh aprons and awesome kisses
All just a test
Twisted like acrobats
An infinite test
We are afraid to say goodbye
Sweet dreams
We aim for the stars
Kiss the back of our hand
Missing chords
Light pouring through the window
Sweet chords
All is missing
We admire the view
Play silent games
No longer afraid
All a big surprise.

Poem

We write poems in the morning
Frost sits heavy on our lips
Words unspoken
Stories untold
TV blaring
Radio crackling
Music shaking our head
We wait for powder
Let him in
To watch
Hatter walks down the middle of the street
I follow him
Wish for syllables
A goose chase
A pillow stuffed up against the window
Block the screams
Wear a heart upon your ear
We write poems in the morning.

Storybook

We unwrap our storybook
A wrinkled day
Sweet juice and liquor
We place words on a little table
A feast of syllables
Hair wild
Shoes unfurled
All so very easy
We drink wine
Empty plates
Trunks of trees
A lasting legacy
We have luck
The wind vibrates dreams
Small arrows
Breaking day
Powder on our lips
We unwrap our story book
Sweet syllables
Delicate words.

Prayer

We whisper sweet prayers and benedictions under our breath
He is watching
As he always will
We wait for the powder
Lips cracked and splitting
Hair turning grey
Time passing
We see broken glass on the street
It takes a hundred breaths not to pick it up
We will crawl upon our knees
We haven't been to the quiet place for far too long
We remember the tiny slips of paper
The candles and cool water upon our forehead
The outside world seeps in through the windows
We marvel in the lights
Whisper sweet prayers and benedictions under our breath.

Travel

Hatter takes his tea at noon
The sun reflects his eyes
We are traveling on an astral plain
The view is blinding
A balm of blood
Music in our ears
Sugar on our tongue
Our world is shrinking
Falling fluid from an icy mind
Our dress is dishevelled
Socks falling down our feet
Shoes scuffed and well worn
The leaves crunch
We play steps
A whisper and a prayer.

Name

We are the first to write our name
Hair dripping
Feet sore
The page is stark and white
We would ask for anything but help
Tiny letters spill over the edge of the cup
We are outside
Writing our sentence
By the shore
Listening to the bells
The door is open but we dare not leave
We are getting old
In a quiet midnight room
We will remember our name
Hair dripping
Feet sore.

Sink

Alice brushes the hair off her face
We are reading fiction
Telling stories
Waiting
The powder courses through our veins
Never enough
Hatter smiles and waves
We drink coffee and eat cake
Drop pennies down the sink
Grapple for words
The radio plays
We brush the hair off our face
Take a break
Laugh in the night
We are reading fiction
Telling stories
All is calm
All is well.

Bliss

Alice shakes her dress
A kind of bliss
Hair wild and free
She runs down the hole
Licks the blood from her fingers
The music plays
A discordant tune
Sleep comes
Dreams thick and rich
The frost lines the pavement
We wait
Wash our face
Drink coffee in the pale blue light
All an adventure
Alice shakes her dress
A kind of bliss.

Tree

We sit beneath the burdock tree
Lost stumps
And willow
Child like voices
Silver unrest
A brother in the nursery
We are lost
Like eggs boiling in the night
We sing and drive
Find the corn spray
A breeze
Misty and attentive
We run under skies
Sit beneath the burdock tree.

Winter

Winter wraps her cool fingers around my throat
A breeze and lifting
We take our stand
A firm hand
A steady rudder
All around us is noise
We hold our head between our knees
All is clam
All is well
We watch the words fall on the paper
Winter wraps a cool finger.

Wisdom

It is a stale kind of wisdom
Salty tears dripping in the night
All around us is electricity
A charge which resonates deep within
We coil our feet
Have a bitter longing for time
The leaves are dead and green
They line the ground
We walk over the same sites
Pick at the old wounds
Take the needle in our hands
It is a false charm
We sink and wave
All a class
Ripped clothes
Youth dwindling
A tart taste upon our lips.

Abundance

The leaves at our feet are rich and golden
We trample through them with the eagerness of new-borns
Scoop the moonlight in our pockets
Gobble down the stars
Night time is an abundance of riches
We savour each one as if it is our last
Morning comes with a wave of disappointment
We like the dreams
The places sleep takes us to the edges to
It feels real
Although we know it is not
We wait for the powder
Look out the window
Count our fingers and toes
Nothing comes quickly enough
Soon the leaves will wear away and cold winds will wrap around our shoulders
We will wait for winter too
As long as we can think
There will be an abundance of magic.

Afternoon

We spend lazy afternoons lying still on the bed
If we don't move nothing bad will happen
It is hot
We take sips of peppermint tea
Crush the ice between our teeth
The leaves have fallen off the tree
They make a fragile carpet we tip toe through
Silent
Observed
Always waiting for him
The Red Queen took me in her arms
Told me to smile
I look in the mirror
Try to
What looks back is both familiar and new
A shock of scars
And wasted afternoons.

Mood

We take a look from the shelf
Drink the tea
Crush the cardboard into the hole
Wonder what an end may look like
We take turns
Make strange patterns in the night
Go wherever the will may take us
All just pieces
Part of a tube
We hit our head
Try to change our mood
All an act of revenge
A charged weapon
We sing quiet songs in the café
Alter what we think
Forget what's in between.

Hatter

Hatter doffs his cap
I wonder if he take it off when he sleeps
His stride is purposeful
I walk behind him
All just a circle and a song
He stops for tea
There is no mouse in the tea pot
Just a strong aroma of leaves and time
He drinks it slowly
No rush
No hurry
I am always busy
Falling down the rabbit hole
Brushing powder from our feet
I will stay a while in the story
It is better there than real
In my mind is a thousand dreams
She holds my hand throughout the night
I will wake up when I am ready
All just a cycle and a story
Take off your hat and speak
But then the magic disappears.

The Owl

The owl waits patiently on the branch
Its head full of songs
Trills and arpeggios
We bow in anticipation
Wipe the dander from the sheets
Blow clouds out of the window
We catch its eye
It is jet black
Like a marble shining in the night
Head twisted
Feathers dusted
We listen for its melody
Catch the light
Hold onto it like pebbles
Talons stretched
Beak sharp and primed
The owl has a thousand stories
We listen to it quietly and carefully
Rest a while on the branch
If we could have a thousand dreams
The owl would carry us home.

Clouds

We dance and prance amongst the clouds
All just a fight we bring to the table
We speak of loss and leave
The crowds delight
It is a tumult of time
Such a waste
We take a deep breath
Find our balance
We want to write our story
But we fall short
Not enough words in the bank to pepper and spray the page
We choose a route that makes it hard to breathe
Water falls through the ceiling
We dare not move
Instead we tune in our head to the sound of our own song
Dance and prance amongst the clouds
Make do and mend
Dream and fancy
All just a story we write and play.

Balance

The white pages
Scream a song
We are balanced in the in between place
A thousand powder passes our lips
The gate crashes
All about us is falling down
We take a shot
And another
Numbers barely make a difference now
Count them in
Count them out
We wash in cool water
Let the waves lap our feet
Wait a while
The air is tranquil
Balanced.

Knock

We divide the words
Count the syllables
Knock our face beneath the peach ridden sky
We make a stand
Know not to worry
Talk here and there about plans and facts
The poppies float on the breeze
Turn from orange to green
Like snow multiplied in an awful blend
Now and then we subtract our thoughts
Add together sex and flowers
It's all just a dream
Alice and I know that.

Earth

We trample over dusty shores
Mother Earth sings in our ears
A sad song
Lost fields
Stolen flowers
Stars hidden by clouds of rain
We look out the window
Grateful for shelter
Peaceful in our bed
She wipes the hair from her face
Long past dreaming
We were looking for a place of rest
We found it outside
Dream walking
Silent prayers
We trample over dusty shores
Mother Earth sings in our ears.

The Wall

We hit the wall
A large bump in the night
Stars and cushions collide
We cannot sleep
Frost lines the pavements
Winter is coming
We are ill prepared
Clothes hang on the line
Meals uncooked
All is chaos
A thousand cans line the bed
Yellow and red
We wish for nothing more
A cloud and a dream
We hit the wall
A large bump in the night.

The World

The world waits outside our window
Birds sing and crickets lull
We are at once bound and free
Black ink marks out our future
We dare give it time
All is lost
Nothing found
We take deep breaths
Imagine for a moment what it would be like without
No more powder
No more dreams
We dare ponder
The whole world waits outside our window
The chill of the wind wraps around our shoulders
We are together
All that matters
We charge up an electric storm
All is gathered in
We crunch moonbeams and stars
Hold the open steady
Write out a history we dare not repeat
The world waits outside our window
We greet it with a wry smile
All is lost
Nothing gained.

Shine

We carry our bucket of stars
All just a dream by design
Thick lines
Like roots
Hold us steady
As we jump roofs in the night
We ask for nothing more than water
Call gently in the swirl of lamp light
Tap our shoulders
Feign surprise
All just a chain and a line
Fish in the dishes
Our disdain nine times a crime
Strange things are afoot
All aboard the silver train
We wait for morning to shine.

Evidence

We search for evidence
Look for clues
Sweet cakes and liquor
On a sunny afternoon
Purple dots scan the horizon
There is nothing left to do
It's all a trail
Back to the centre
As high as the moon
We hold hands in the dark
This is a strange adventure
Wind whisking our hair
Ruffling our clothes
We are ready for anything
But do nothing
Lie still
Breathe
Just become
We search for evidence
Look for clues.

Raffle

We stand on dandelion street
Compass in hand
Glass slippers on our feet
We have the strength to smash ten letters in the air
Our instinct is to drive
To speed to the finish line
It's all just a stage
And a spirit
We dangle our feet in the subway
Buzzers blow our ear drums
We would rather be at home
Wrapped in a sari
Fresh treats from the bakery
Melting in our hands
We made it through another night
Lantern over head
Whiskey in our tummy
It's all just a raffle and a blow.

Made

We are made for now
Dancing in the street
Skipping a true song
Hair flapping on our shoulders
Cool lemonade bouncing in our tummy
Summer turns to autumn in the breeze
We collect leaves on the soles of our shoes
Brush them off
Collect them in a little bag
Sing a song
We are made for now
Living in the moment
Dancing in the street
Sometimes I think she is my only friend
The sole person who can read my thoughts
And accept me as I am
In fact I know she is
We hold hands in the night
Fall asleep without a care in the world
We are everything to each other.

Sunset

The sunsets on pomegranate afternoons
We soak up the yellow
Make our skin glow
Tiny grains of truth
Seeps through every pore
We are alive
Breathing
Hoping
Wishing
All our thoughts gathered in
Safely tucked under blue blankets
We dare to dream
Waste away the afternoons
Look forward to when the light fades
Sunset
Peaceful
Sleep
We play games to make the time pass
But there is nothing like sinking into the red bed
Head ruffled
Body aching
A day complete
We dare to dream
Waste away the afternoons
All is calm and quiet
We sit on our hands
Swallow down the yellow
Waiting for night
And the sweet release of sleep.

Test

What I love is near at hand
She skips and dances
Ribbons ablaze
Skirt drifting in the wind
For one tiny moment everything is just right
We think of lost times
Hours emptied into black bags
Take them to the trash
Pour pennies down the sink
All such a fine dance
Words drifting through the window
Catch them with our teeth
Wait for night to fall
And dreams to come
Is it all a race she asks
I giggle
No just a test I think
What I love is near at hand
And yet it flies away on the morning sun
Gets carried off by the oncoming rain
For one tiny moment everything is just right.

Midnight

We play in the midnight garden
Skip along the rooftops
Tremble at the overflow
The cypress tree rises in the wind
All around us is sky
Deep and blue
Like water
We go about our usual route
Twice as many as before
Grappling with stars we find
Crunching on moonbeams
In search of handsome roses
What's mine is yours
There is no one left to tell
The grass subsides under our toes
We farm freakish dreams
Wrap ourselves tightly in the blue blanket
The chill doesn't reach our bones
Not yet
We play along the rooftops
Watch the leaves fall
All is quiet
All is lost
Still her tiny hand reaches mine
We stand together in the midnight garden
Whole
Fearless
Full.

Charity

They call this a gentle kind of charity
A wry smile in the night
A cool touch
We count our pennies as blessings
Watch our teeth fall down the sink
Time ticks on
And we have yet to write the story
All is quiet in the day
We wait for visitors
Scan the fence
Watch out the window
It feels as if we are always waiting
What will come will come
What we need will be forgotten
Such is the heat of the hours
All is magic and frost
Time forced to an end
A gentle kind of charity
I wipe the hair from her face
And sink into dreaming
All is quiet in the day.

Books

The books rest gently on the pillow
Keen words and eager stories
Waiting to be fulfilled
The pages smell delicious
We try to keep them out of the sun
So the print is always new
Spines unbroken
Characters ready to play out their roles
We get lost in the magic
Time stands still as we savour the words
Alice skips and trips at my side
I was in the underground once she declares
But I wrote myself out
Maybe you can too
Steal some phrases
Pilfer some ideas
All just a white rabbit disappearing down the tunnel
We stack the books by the side of the bed
Wait patiently to reveal their magic.

Bed

Alice tip toes around the edges of the bed
Her face is white
She sings a tiny grief song
Let's pretend she says
The wind whistles through the windows
We touch hands
All gathered in
In peace and remembrance
It is daytime again
The police shoot by
We are beside ourselves
Alive and flying
A cool chill stings our flesh
We wrap blankets in the trunk
Just like our parents
A silver census of dreams
We ditch the water
Confounded
In the jungle of life
We record our voices
Sing shanties
Pretend we are natives
Alice tip toes around the edges of the bed
I hear her
It is a comfort in the day.

Going

Let's get going cries Alice
Bumbling under the chestnut tree
In my mind we are at the shore line
Cool waves
Lapping our toes
Bringing fresh light onto our faces
We have not been to the sea in such a long time
We gaze out the window
The sun grazes the pane
Like a gentle kiss
Our mind is still
Focused on the daily chores
Wash
Brush
Smile
Alice's dress is clean and ironed
Her hair sparkles
Like a new dawn
We are going going gone.

If

What if the flowers were painted blue
And we skipped and tripped through the coming of day
Without a care in the world
Without knowing what will come next
What if we knew
Time
Space
Illusion
The man in the hat came back
He watches from afar
We don't care for his glances any more
We have much work to do
And nobody can disturb us
What if we never finish
That would be good I say
To finish means an end
And I don't want this to end
The coloured bed
All fancy patterns
Sleep
Words
Time
All a delicious jumble waiting to be sorted by shaking hands
What if you left
That would break my heart
I want you to stay here forever
To play a part in my misadventure
To be you
To be me
What if the flowers were painted blue
That would be a very fine thing indeed.

Autumn

Autumn comes in its sweet white robes
Blows a cold mist around our ears
Heralds in new sounds
And love
We stand up high and watch the wind troop the colours of the leaves
Inside we are warm
Too warm
We throw the covers off
Wonder where summer has been and gone
We drink sweet tea and nibble on chocolate squares
Dream of railways and journeys
In waking we are static
Heralds in new sounds
Wind
Rain
Colour
We leave the windows open to scoop up the autumn air
Soon it will get too cold and we will have to shut them
But for now we enjoy the occasional nip and frost
We are waiting again
But there is a calm in the air
An acceptance
Not all comes to those who wait
We understand
And wait some more
Looking
Always looking at the changing sky before us.

Deal

We stand on the hillside in summer
The blade glitters faintly
In the cool sway of branches
We turn our head
From a terrible idea
It is unspoken
A deal we had the audacity to control
A wager unbroken
The axe melts the wood
We chop and chip away at the dusty bark
Longing for the sap to trickle down our fingers
It is a melting bite
We are nothing but guests in a dream
A row of terraced houses
A team of roofs
We are aware of every breath
It is granted and probed
A life span
A list of terms
We stand on the hillside in summer.

Sky

In the street of the sky night walks scattering poems
We collect letters like shells
Tiny fragments of self
New shoes on an autumn day
A fresh breeze
A waft of air upon our skin
The frail man waits in bed
Twists and turns
Unable to find comfort in the bedded quilt
All around is noise
But inside an aching silence
Such is time lost
A cymbal crashing into shore 
Consonants tripping off a dry tongue
Poems dancing in the curtains
We are still but busy 
We must always find something to do
The rain falls
The smell of water on hot concrete drifts in the window
It is a comfort
A gentle pulse
Life
The frail man moves slowly
But with purpose
He absorbs the water as it trickles down the window pane
He is connected to the earth by a thin thread of being
Raggedy shirt
Stuck to seeping flesh
And we wait
No room for idle hands
In the street of the sky night walks scattering poems.

Safe

The world is a beautiful place
She says out loud
Her voice makes my hands shake
I drink my coffee
Stare at the pale white walls
Try to imagine beauty
This place is home
Paintings hang on the wall
The familiar scent of days passed spills out when I open the door
Which is less and less frequently
Where would I go if I left
There would be no red bed
No midnight snacks
No you
I stumble on the stairs
Carry out the last of the cans
In a way it feels liberating
She claps her hands with glee as I wrap up the black bag
I will go out
Buy more food
Try to look around me
Alice will wait here
Stand guard
Waiting for me
And that is home
She makes it beautiful
I want to hold her but instead
Lock the door to keep her safely in.

Sink

We drop pennies down the sink
The trickling sound comforts me
I don't remember how I got like this
I am what I am
Nothing more
Nothing less
When we have lost all our pennies
We feel like crying
There is no one to hear us she whispers
We swallow pills
Sleep
Don't dream
With Alice by my side
I walk away from the sink
She will help me find new pennies.

Survival,

Alice rolls over
I am not sure she means to
A dark mist descends
Our tongues stick
To the roof of our mouth
I could howl
But all I can do is stare
Smoke ridden mysteries
We will pull through
The fields are green now
I can see them from my window
Soft as feathers
It was never meant to be like this
Alice rolls over
I am not sure she means to.

Rain

The rain falls upon her shoulders
We long for the measure to form
Cancer
Quietly leaning
Hoping its measure
Look for silver belonging
The only
Echoes
Empty pleasure rippled dusty
Really quite beautiful she says
Her hair matted
Her mouth full of spit
The sky is lilting
The truth is walking away
Speckled thin
The fruits ripen
Our soul is turning
Tighten our belts
If we lie very still
I can picture the horses
My spine is crumbling
But there is Alice
My friend when all I lost.

Tree

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
She climbs to the highest bough
I look on dreaming of apples and falling leaves
She laughs
A throaty giggle
One that came out of my soul before the wake up time
We hunt for snakes in the bamboo rivers
I say I'm scared
She holds my arm
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

Flag

Alice waves her flag
It's a kind of totem
We are coming home
Whatever that means
We swallow silver stars
Pray for new beginnings
Herald a new dawn
Colours flapping in the pale cool night
The four walls contain us
Some days it's a prison
Others a haven
We are our own country
Lost
Stranded
Bereaved
Alice waves the flag above her head
It's a kind of totem
We are coming home.

Kiss

What I kiss lies gently on my tongue
It is liquid crystal
Blue and shimmering like the sea
We are waiting once again
Listening to the waves
Hoping beyond hope for the thing which makes us real
The morning sky blends purple and orange
Purple bruises of light
We lie in the bed
Drink sweet tea and daydream
It's impossible to know just how we got here
We used to jump from pillar to post
Now we are static
Bellies aching
Heads adrift
We wish for more
But what I kiss lies gently on my tongue.

Story

The pillows are speckled with dust
Fathers and sons
Snuggled up bodies
All in the distance
A brilliant rippled tide
Lilting skyward
A quiet longing
All muddled and starved
We dream amongst the night
Nursing beers and wines
A cool blast against our legs
A thin veil of rain
Yielding and blending colours
A gentle cluck
And a fearsome gallop
We will wait until morning comes
A sweet release upon on our teeth
Stories left untold
Bodies wrapped carefully in cotton
We wish for more but do not have the words to say
All is calm and quiet
We will shake the pillows and make the bed
Rest our weary head upon the silver skies
Fathers and sons
Cool bodies in the night
Distant pictures
All a dream
Magic and loss
We put away the paper bags
And wait
All is calm and quiet.
 

Waves

The girl sat a while, gazing out over the waves 
Her hair fell upon her shoulders
Gently like a cool breeze 
Her shoes are worn down
Pieces of glass stick in the sole
She picks them out
Places them on the counter top
As if each shard is a marker
A tally of miles tread 
Days spent 
Minutes lost
The sea is in her mind
It laps her eyelashes 
Splendid
Trickling 
All about her is light
She waits patiently 
Spies the horses in the field
If she lies still
The pain subsides
The sirens fade into the distance
She mops up the footprints
Considers the silence 
The girl sat a while, gazing out over the waves.

Poem

We are made of poems
Sweet lines
On lazy summer afternoons
Time passes in a haze
We are both here and not
Skipping
Tripping
Counting down the minutes
All will be lost
But there's so much we have yet to find
We crunch syllables on our tongue
Savour every pinch
Inch down the page
Filling the white
With sure black marks
She claps her hands
This is where we belong
We are made of poems
Sweet lines
On lazy summer afternoons.

Joke

It's really quite farcical she moans
We are lying on the floor of our tin hut
Waiting for the delivery of nothing
There is a list of things to do
The hot weather holds us back
The list can wait for another day
And another after that
We keep still
Little stones under a babbling brook
Try not to think
What once was
What is
She sits up
Wipes the hair from her face
Do you never get bored of making the same mistakes
Always
Then you must stop
It's easy
It's all just a habit
And all habits can be broken
She giggles and claps her hands
In her head is the answer
She has kept it safe for so many years
I wash the grime from under my nails
It really is quite funny
Still I wait
The last laugh will be worth the pain of now.

Shell

They said I had sea shells under my skin
I trace my fingers over my bones
My neck aches from the weight of my thoughts
The stairs defeat me
I shake at the thought of them
Trip skip fall
Carry the cup with two hands
Refrain from the smell of me
Head full of maggots
I have had enough
We lie on the floor and dream
Babbling leaves returning to the sea
Crocus hills
Stones of shame in our pocket
We observe in silence
Wrap twine around our head
It sits there like a wig
A skein of scars and stories
We lie on the floor
Bent out of shape
How we wish for shells not the shape of our scars.

Walker

I look in the mirror
I can always find you there
The mirror bends
Like spoons
Jam moons
We are one
I want to break free
But fear most that I will lose you
You are my little doppelganger
I could wear a blue dress
Tie a ribbon in my hair
But still you will be you
And I will be me
I don't remember the first time we met
We eat sugar on the floor
Play with words
The world caves in
Everything scares me
But there you are
My little treasure
I look in the mirror
I can always find you there.

Contradiciton

We are a bundle of contradictions
Sat on the floor
Counting out our pennies
We wish for sleep
It doesn't come
We think of her
Writing letters in the attic
So full of life
We curl up in a ball
Wait for darkness
The sweet fall of powder
The stairs move like waves
We are prisoners here
No way out
No way in
Words fall like petals at our feet
We gather them up
Smell the sweet fragrance of jasmine and lemon
We are on a journey
We know the end
But fight for the middle
We are a bundle of contradictions
Aching for life
Waiting forever
The knock on the door signals an end
We don't know whether to embrace it or let it go
All we know for sure is the words
And the pennies that fall through our fingers.

Sleep

We sit on the floor and play with the letters
Too tired to move
We wait
We have forgotten what for
There has always been powder days
All we want is sleep
Time moves forward
We hold hands
Brace for the inevitable
The seconds seem relentless
We count our way down the stairs
Step a toe outside
It makes us shake
Are we even real
His voice is always in my head
I don't want it to go
And so I have Alice and you.

Shells

We pick up shells from the seashore
Salt on our lips
Hungry for the cool lemonade
It waits in the bag we carefully prepared
We take our shoes and socks off
Dabble our toes in the cool salty water
The horizon is clear
For one fleeting moment all is well
When the sky becomes heavy we trudge back in the sand
It sticks to our feet
You light a cigarette
I delve into the bag
Drink small sips of lemonade
Try not to think of the scratching sand
My head whirls unused to being outside the confines of home
Home
That's what I will call it
I slip the shells into my pocket
I will remember this day
The highs and lows
The ebb and flow of the tide
Most importantly I will remember you.

Lake

We dream under apricot skies
Always running
Shoulders stuck
The weight of stones sit gently in my pocket
Everything is spinning
An archaic dance
A picture and a gift
We wrap ourselves up in the quilt
Heart racing
The stair case defeats us
Dream tip time travel
Banging heads on the bathroom floor
I have lost sight of the signs
She takes my hand
All this will pass
A lake pours through the windows
It would be unkind to disappear
I remember the horses
Hay on noses
Pine needles under foot
We sense each others pain.

Talk

It's really quite funny she giggles
How you keep searching for the thing you can never have
But I have to try
Not having cans is a nightmare
My body twitches and the stairs move like jello
We have to hold the railings to get out the door
No wonder we never leave this place
Sleep comes
We wake ourselves up talking
I talk more in my sleep than when I'm awake
It feels safer that way
But the words make no sense
She wipes the hair from her face
Washes her sticky fingers
I open the windows wide
We like the breeze
It's really quite funny she giggles.

Wilderness

We roam the streets looking for answers 

The strange rattle of empty cans interferes with our soul

Nothing measures up to the high we once had

All around us is the silent roar

We cup our ear to the bed

Try not to sink

Always waiting

Tomorrow never enough

It all seems so unfair she moans

It is hot 

The pillow is static

Feint marks of blood on the sheets

A wilderness we cannot tame

We wish a thousand dreams

Totter on the stairs

Nothing measures up to the high we once had.

Calligraphy

We drink the cup
A strange kind of calligraphy
We are bound by a name
Strapped down and crying
We tap our head
The space between thought and doing is too great to bear
The cracks are red
Dark and tinged
We lie back in the red bed
The cans rattle around us
We drink the cup
A strange kind of calligraphy.

Shake

Our hands shake blue
We are waiting for the cans
Hair pulled back
Thick cotton on our back
Sweat trickling
Head racing
We don't know what to do
All is quiet
And yet our brain rages
We are trapped in this cycle with no way out
We listen to the voices
They are loud now
Ice does not extinguish the flames of their being
Our hands shake blue
We are waiting for the cans.

Whispher

Alice dusts the smoke off her shoes
We are tripping the light fantastic
A simple climb up
Knots on edge
Sea spray
A narrow path we walk
Hold on tight she whispers
The gravel crunches
He holds the telephone up into the night
Is this what you hear
So many voices
All a pattern and a verse
We walk along the edge
Follow the patterns
Whisper a tune
Alice dusts the smoke off her shoes
We are tripping the light fantastic.

Wounds

Alice dusts the smoke off her shoes
We are in the cement bunker
We wash our wounds as the clock turns
All we can think about is the cans
The air is turbulent
We take stock in the cabinet
The smell of the day overwhelms us
We are no longer young
We search for the city
All we have is dreams
Wash down the powder
Lie in the bed
The mess is too much to bear
Alice dusts the smoke off her shoes
We are in the cement bunker.

Liberty

Alice shakes the dust off her boots
We are free
The gnats fly and soar
We buzz them with our words
Words are powerful she giggles
We eat dinner on the floor
It is safer that way
The birds fly and soar
We think we remember his name but we have forgotten
Liberty trails at our feet
The cans make it better
For a short while
Alice shakes the dust off her boots
We are free.

Forever

The moments are flitting
We look for God
He is in the cupboard
Forever spinning
The essence of him lingers
Our spirit is home
A passion play
Too many lessons to learn
We take flight
Cycle
Spiral
The moments are flitting
This place is forever.

Ache

The lines on my skin tell a story
Ones I think about myself
We pop the blisters in the bathroom
The only room that is safe from him
Alice ruffles her skirt and sits down beside me
All will be well she whispers
We can tell our own story
One without powder and dust
How we ache for that

Rattle

We take the rattle of the cage
A mere shell of images
We fold nowhere in our hands 
It is safe in our head 
Images rest in limbo
We take the pills 
It makes our head ring
We have nowhere to go
The slip of the blade gasps 
We climb the ladder 
Shudder to the end

We take the rattle of the cage

A mere shell of images

We fold nowhere in our hands.

Human

We hear the voices in our head
A strange calling
A plaintive cry
We are human
Real
We carry the cans
Take them to a place called home
A place of safety and surprise
We drown out the thoughts with powder
Nothing quite measures up
The voices sing like birds
Screaming in the night
Blue skies and rain
A strange calling
We wonder what it is like to be human
Then we look in the mirror
And we know
We know.

Measure

We wait for the cans
All night long
We are up and down
Nothing quite measures up
Nothing comes near
We wish for bluebirds and chimney tops
But all we see is acid clouds
The noise in our head is indefatigable
We look to stop it but nothing comes close
A small mistake turns into a major disaster
We don't know what to do any more
Shh and listen she whispers in the cold grey night
I try to but all I hear is the rattle
All I need I cannot have
We are up all night
Up and down like yoyos
Nothing quite measures up.

Harm

There is no one left to tell
All the swirling dreams and chimney tops
It will pass
Do us no harm
Honey on our breath
A shot alone to fiddle
All treats will pass
We take our last breath
Like a call in the night
A shot across an empty sky
Honey on our lips
We are all alone
No one left to tell
We dream a thousand dreams
Wait until morning
When the rain will come and wash away our harms.

Lust

We hold the pencil in our hands
It is warm like pebbles
We draw thick lines on the wall
Track lines
All we ache for is the cans
We line them up and dream
How long have we been here she asks
Too long
Then why can't we leave
My lips draw a blank
I fear if I move I will lose you
I go where you go silly
I lie back in the bath
Let the hot water cleanse my heart
Every day is precious
Yet I can't lust for it
We hold the pencil in our hands
It is warm like pebbles.

Prosper

We breathe in the dull years
No one listens to our deep pain
The cans rattle in the bed
The noise shakes through our bones
Like some sacred ritual we can't stop
We act through the days
Write our way out of trouble
Dig through flesh to reach spirit
It is more than we can bear
We would like to prosper
But our hands hold us back
We breathe in the dull years
No one listens to our deep pain.

Crawl

We crawl through the labyrinth of our thoughts
We are lost
Rely on chance
Have my back and I will keep yours safe
It's like a race she giggles
Slamming her feet on the stained floor
My head blasts
I suspect the link of change
That my sweet powder has been stolen from me
We remember stealing the bicycle and leaving the house
Now the link with the bad man is receding
It is scary not to hear his voice.

Truth

Truth or dare she bellows across the living room floor
Truth I say
And we giggle together
Knowing we are bound up in a web of deceit
We check the numbers perfectly
But they never add up
The whole word seems stacked against us at times
All I need is cans and the red bed
And me silly she squeals
Yes Alice always you
You are my thief and truth bearer
There is nothing left to do
Not whilst the cans are gone
And my memory is restored.

Bonded

We are stuck together like glue
Each day an eternity
Always waiting
Barely breathing
The holes in our chest moving up and down
As we pace
Around and around
We listen for the sound of the metal gate
Long for bed and sleep
She gets inpatient
Why can't you just get up and go out
I can't answer
All I know is we have each other.

Running

We are in constant movement
Never allowed to rest
We drink the sweet tea
Look at the crumpled sheets
It's all too much to untangle
There is a pile of rubbish in the hallway
We cannot bear to throw it out
It is us
The thing we cannot name
Running on empty
Sound jangling
Black bags full
We wish to wear our shoes again
But for now we shuffle around in our socks
Lost and empty
Always on the search for the next fix
And the next
We look at the crumpled bed
All too much to fix.

Barter

We barter our trade like silver pennies
Up and down all the time
Always constant
Alice is a little scared
I tuck her under the covers
I will not let anyone in
Just run out for powder
Chest aching from the burns
We barter our trade like silver pennies
Up and down all the time.

Summer

We roll up our sleeves
Summer is coming
We lay back in our bed
Blood swimming in our head
We should be pleased but we are all out of cans
They are our poison
Hair all a mess
Clothes dirty
We don't know what to do
Take a walk
Feel the sun on our back
Summer is here
We should be happy.

Mind

It's all in the mind she says
I roll over in the empty bed
Morning comes and tricks us with its stare
The birds hoot
We laugh inside
Put on our clothes
Leave the house
Come back and all will be the same
It's all a game
The stolen man set us up
Holds a present in the air
Tricks our mind
I hold her tight
Nobody can steal our thoughts.

Skin

Her tongue licks the salt off my skin
Our mouths are scorched
Stitch our lips
Let no one in
We eagerly await the little brown boxes of freedom
Constantly tracking
Anything to numb our sense
She wears blue
Her features are small
Like dolly's hands
I hold onto her so tight I can feel her breath on my shoulder
Real
Innocent
True
Her tongue licks the salt off my skin
I will always let her in.

Invention

We breathe in the air
It is a new game
Try not to breathe
Hide the carrier bag
Tuck the laces in our shoes
We are our own invention
Wishing for tomorrow
Hating the day
Longing for night
Rest
Blisters aching
Nothing is right
We can't feel
Numb
Mute
Distanced
The stolen man walks on broken glass
I wait to see him
He hides in the shadows
I wish he would cast a light on me
It's all about growing and becoming
Words are not enough
We would re-invent our thinking to see him
Please state your name and number
I will breathe in the air and stop the clock.

Troubled

We are troubled
Everything is thick and gelatinous
We glide down the canvas like paint
All swirled up in a mess of hair and dreams
What we want is simple
What we need we have to chase
Just like Rabbit down the hole
Clock stuck at 3am
Eyes shut
Bags of clothes
People on the periphery
Faces lost in the brushstrokes
We can't look you in the eye
We can't say love
Everything a mess
Caught up in the swirl of paint
Dripping thick down the canvas skies.

Play

It is all a game
Tests and numbers
We all fall down
Lies and truths
We don't know which is which
They turn the lights off
We look at our body in the dark
Better that way
Endless hours spent in the waiting room
Who dares make the next move
Check mate
I understand
But it doesn't take away the longing
Home
Red Bed
Alice
It's all a game
I have been out manoeuvred
I hate that
Check mate
I understand.

Inject

We wash our face
Nothing calms the unswayed spite
We must confess
Undress
Check
Inject
It is a torrid tale
We traverse the channel with sand in our shoes
Spend so much time in the sect of our head
People can be calm and gracious
Or scare the shit out of us
We are both
Like husband and wife
Separated
Alone
Unaligned
Nothing makes things better
We dream of home
We want to be treated gently
But rough arms grab us
Pull us under
It hardly seems fair
They say it is for our health
We disagree
Cry silent tears and wait.

Sheets

We disappear in the folding of sheets
They whisper sweet melodies
Death and dying muttering under their breath
We are here to rediscover something
Drag ink over paper
Pin over skin
It comforts us
Like the whir of helicopter wings
We hear voices
They comfort us with their magic
It would be a miracle if they appear
Instead we have to sit and wait
Sit and wait
Listen for clues
Pick up crumbs
Line up sticks
It's all a game
But we no longer want to play.

Words

The birds sweep and sway in the breeze
The colours burn the back of our eyes
We stare at the sun
It airs our clothes
The smell is morning dew
We remember everything
We remember nothing
Shh don't say a word
Smile
Wave
Parrot fashion
We stand on the top of the hill
Look down
Wonder what it would be like to fly
We don't have wings silly
She chuckles
Never leaves me
We are stranded in the rain forest
All alone
Falling down together.

Vision

We keep our eyes cast down
Swallow stars and unicorns
Time tick tocks stuck and sticky
We sleep in our clothes
Feel the body next to us in the bed
Breathing
Pulse taking
No sleep
No dreams
Windows black
Flowers scorched
All we have is our head
The visions inside
The messages come thick and fast
All a game
A test
We always fail
Body smells bad
Mind all afloat
We lie still
Close our eyes
Imagine what could be
Know what is.

Down

We sit in the dying room
Blisters on our toes
Strange smell upon our clothes
Plastic cups
Clock stuck at noon
Always waiting
Always waiting
Alice hides in a plastic bag
I brush her hair when the lights go out
All we want is the red bed
A few cans and a little oxygen
Our home
Constant talking in our head
So loud
Such fear that it will stop
That silence will take over our hands
What can we do but sit and wait
The dying room has windows
We can look out but instead choose to keep our head down.

Light

A stranger walks into the room

Switches the light on and off

Like doubts and wishes plugged in and out
I feel my pulse
It is racing
Toast the bread
Keep the devil at bay
Snatch a shy sleep
Growling stomach
Shivering feet
We dream of lakes and swimming
Carrying our burdens like Sisyphus
Our skin has stripes
If you touch it
It would feel like tree rings

Counting time

A stranger walks into the room

Switches the light on and off. 

Voice

She stirs the tea cup with her silver spoon
It has been so many years the bottom of the china is worn and frayed
Her hair falls in curls upon her face
She waits for morning
She longs for sleep
They stole the red bed and emptied the cans
She cried
She always cries but the tears are dry
Crusts of remembrance
Time falls down the rabbit hole
She lost the pocket watch on the fall down
She hears the voices
Time for tea
She knows the game
Plays the rules
Stirs the tea
Combs her hair
Waits for morning.

Treasure

We lie in the bed

The cans rattle and shake

The smell is sulphur

We dream of shoes and pavements

It is hard to swallow

Her hands are blistered 

Finger nails black

Teeth slimy

It is another day

Another treasure

We will hunt it out

All will be well.

Wolf

We fall in a closed heap
Sugar flare flowers
We read a frailty in the cave that bonds us
A small wolf dances in the twilight
We watch its burning teeth
It appears hopeful
A kindly means to cajole and practice
We are called to wine
A blight upon the earth
Cringe and wild
Burning dreams
We fall in a closed heap
Sugar flare flowers
All stretched and pulsing
Hair a tangle
Stomach in knots
We pat the wolf and say goodbye.

Scream

We scream the body electric
The wind blows the curtains
We drink sweet tea
All about us is lost at sea
We drown the powder with flapjacks and honey
Ice cream powder and glue
We scream the body electric.

Wait

We wait for the powder to come
Always waiting
Looking at our shoes
They are scuffed and tired
We hide under the covers but sleep doesn't come
We drink coffee and crunch bread
As if it will make time a little easier to swallow
Iron the clothes
Dust down the sheets
Morning will greet us with its usual grin
We made it through another night
We have another day to get through
Such is the way
We take small steps into the sacred building
Daren't lay a prayer upon the board
Just look at the candle burning bright
The rich purples and silver blooms
We come home again
Sink into a half sleep
Always waiting
Always waiting
For the powder to come.

Murk

We write poems on balsa wood
Pencil glides like waves
Sleek and stormy
Our head hits the bottom of the wire
Cuts into our thoughts
Breaks the silence
Like a draft
We feel guilty
Lack manners
All is murky
Like birds with clipped wings
Charging into stars
We sink in the sand
Marred by gifts
Syllables and lines
Things made to cut the frayed and fried time.

Curtain

Her hair falls like curtains
Covers her eyes to dampen the light
We are waiting on the night
There is comfort in the black sky
There is comfort in unveiling the morning
Each day a fresh start
Each day a grinding halt
We wish for petticoats and pennies
A true passage
A clear view
The silver chimney pot smiles at us
Summons up a rainbow in the winter skies
I brush her hair away from her eyes
Hold her tight
Right until the morning comes.

Pennies

We swallow silver pennies on a sunny afternoon
They light us up from inside
We paid the ferryman in gold
What was left we hid in the seams of our pockets
It is a constant wait
A constant nagging
No powder will help
No can will stop the thoughts from racing
Quite how we reached the side of the river we do not know
There is a bridge
It travels over the churned up water
We look over its railings
There was a time when we would sit on top and swing our legs
Those were the richest days
Now there is an emptiness which cannot be filled
When we reach the other side we scoop up the pennies into our hand
Count them out one by one
There is just enough to survive
Too few to live
We swallow silver pennies on a sunny afternoon.

Buttons

Our arms fall apart at the church of blue buttons
Father comes to tea
We haul his body from the closet
Dust off the shirt and tie
Our mind is sharp
A tangle of scars
Small bars and snarling hearths
We choose our years carefully
We have to be sure
Measure the cloth and come to a conclusion
We saw the end in the dusty trunk
But now we rise
Slowly
Carefully
Our arms fall apart at the church of blue buttons.

Tomorrow

We seize the day with two hands
Finger tips sticky with sugar and jam
Black out our eyes change the sheets
Hope that tomorrow we will wake up
The spent cans are like fired bullets
All put out with the trash
We lie very still
Watch the minutes turn into hours
Hours into days
We are unreachable
Lost in this wasteland
Cold hands around chipped cups
We drink sweet tea and hope for lightness to come
How very sad she moans
Wishing to be more
I pull the covers over my head
I am hollow
Hoping that tomorrow I will wake up.

Crescendo

The birds rattle blue blood
Teeth on edge
Standing in a honey crescendo
There is no point in the map
Nowhere to go
Gravity pins us down
Like crumbs stuck in a device
The loneliness of the shopping mall
Shatters time
A fine balance of loving and knowing
A standing wage
Our bare bones electrified
The birds rattle blue blood
Teeth on edge
Standing in a honey crescendo.

Lullaby

She sings sweet lullabies
Deep into the night
All around us is chaos but her words sing true
The peppermint clouds overwhelm our mind
She sings sweet lullabies
Deep into the night
Our fingernails are burnt and broken
The dust has settled on our knees
We do not have the strength to stand up again
She sings sweet lullabies
Deep into the night
All around us is chaos but her words sing true.

Strong

We measure out the powder one by one
The hunger is boundless
Like sound in a tin cup
Pressed to a grubby ear
We might not know love
We are all wrong
The strength of one moulded into two
What makes us rich
We might not know
There is an urge
A memory to trace
A time when we shouted and fought
Now we seem powerless
I miss that voice
It carried on the wind
Urged me on
Now this madness goes beyond measurement
Long in length
Endless
She sends me a message to follow
I hold onto it like candle wax
It drips down my fingers and makes them strong.

Valentine

She wears blue flowers in her hair
Freshly plucked from yesterday's garden
We sing a song
Quietly
Under our breath so no one will hear
It is in these silent moments that we become one
I hold her hand
She giggles
For one tiny moment everything is just right
We catch birds and stars and eat treacle under the moon
She wears blue flowers in her hair
Freshly plucked from yesterday's garden.

Blister

We wash yesterday's blisters
Soften the skin
Make it numb and sad
A building in each hand
A frozen rope
A coffee cup
Rasping hazy saint
It is a crazy kind of existence
Entombed in cans
Folded in earth
We long for mountains
A wish of paintings
Still and even
Instead we have holy gusts
A poor home
Broken skin
We wash yesterday's blisters
Soften the skin
Make it numb and sad.

Shoes

The thread of the heel is worn down
We are all out of new shoes
Brown souls heaving on the pavement
Just enough coverage to make walking easy
We walk in circles
Try and make a line
It's difficult
Not pretty
Our hair windswept and outrageous
The thread of the heel is worn down
We are all out of new shoes
Starlight and sparkles in the toes
We walk on
And on.

Moonlight

You went missing in the passing moonlight
I pretend to kiss
A gentle message
We are all bent out of shape
No sense of home or peace
The ink spins
We post letters
Hope for a return
The taste of peppermint on our tongues
All will pass
Like stars on a clear night
Beautiful and flashing
We can taste the air
Inhale everything we see
Clear as a song
Inject a spectacle of frogs
Leaping and jumping
You went missing in the passing moonlight.

Eulogy

I remember you
Your strong curls and majestic smile
It is hard to put into words all that you mean
To me
And the world
You are everything
A small reminder of good things lost
I try to buy powder to remember but you are not there
Your tiny hands stop me from inhaling
I remember you
Your strong curls and majestic smile
You are my world
My everything.

Moon

We wear slippers on the surface of the moon
Slip slip slippy
We all fall down
Inhaling deep breaths
Exhaling stars
Every day a new start
Every night due rest
The radio burrs
Static dances
We will have to catch up
The world still turns
Though we are still
We wear slippers on the surface of the moon
Slip slip slippy
We all fall down.

Wonderland

She wraps the stars in jelly
All at once young and old
We have traveled a a path together
Forged a little empire
I wonder what will happen when she leaves
There are so many adventures to be had
So many meals to savour
And moons to wonder under
Your voice is rich and ever present
It helps the day to shine
If only the world was frozen in time
In some ways it is
She chuckles
Dress sparkling
Hair smooth and shiny
She wraps the stars in jelly
All at once young and old.

Ransom

The snow falls thick and fancy
We hold onto its magic ransom
Trample down the pink vines
Our palms sticky and spiteful
But also full of love
It is a dense day
We change our self to fit the dangerous thoughts
It is a fine tale
One of hope and longing
We strike up a band
Count cats in the afternoon
Hope for their tangerine tongues to kiss us
Rich rain peels though the night
Takes aim over the red bed
We are plural
Essential
Rich flames and steady breaths
The snow falls thick and fancy
We hold onto its magic ransom.

Treats

We seek solace in the baking

Sweet cakes and forgiveness

We trace a line over our bellies
Pause and reflect
It has been years since she arrived
I dare not think of her parting
The weight of her body envelops mine
We are beginning over and over again
Sweet unfolding years
I should thank her for all that she has done
But the need to cry is unfolding
We eat sweet treats and remember. 

Weapon

We crush the deadly leaves into a smooth paste
Swallow it down with water and time
It sticks in our throat
Like needles piercing our skin
We will not let it in
Each pore a barrier
Each taste a slip away
A weapon of choice
We dance the night away
Smooth movements
A war to wage
A battle to win
We crush the deadly leaves into a smooth paste
Swallow it down with water and time
The best and only weapon we have amidst this world.

Write

She scribbles her name in ink
It smudges
Black like coal dust
Sticky as treacle
I enjoy these mark makings
They remind me I breathe
Such a tiny name
And yet her dreams are big
Stardust and powder
Tricks and delight
She scribbles her name in ink
I hold my name close to my chest
It is made up
Of course
Who can find the meaning within
Black like coal dust
Sticky as treacle
I enjoy these mark makings
These handwritten lines of truth and daring.

Void

The frost whispers a glittering welcome
We hang a wreath on the door
A plethora of leaves and berries
A wind chime breathing in the cool night air
A song to groove and soothe
Underneath the sound is a deep void
An emptiness that cannot be shaken
A final rejection
One last dance
None of which is true
We hibernate
Lie still
Under the spell of the void
Deep in the cave of our design
Like a sponge we falter
Seduced by the vinyl mirage
The frost whispers a glittering welcome
We open the door to greet it.

Tree

Her branches reach into the Earth
She is strong
Immovable
From the window I see her leaves shake
She is beautiful
Even with the discarded paper flashed amongst her branches
I take the view for granted
The silver chimney pot
The blue sky
A full stomach
And feet warm under the blankets
The tree stands tall
I should be like her
Standing straight
Waiting for summer to come and warm my roots.

Soul

The soul waits for absolution
Swallows little white pills to sleep
Waits in a drafty corridor
Catching dreams
Always cold
The blankets tuck around the body
There is a disconnect between physics and thought
Her tiny fingers interlace with mine
The smell of washing overrides the pebble dashed walls
We can no longer breathe in peace
We walk in circles
Think in circles
Time to pass
(Whether we want it to or not)
The soul waits for absolution
Swallows little white pills to sleep.

Home

We touch each others cold hands in the middle of the night
Stars like wistful children playing under the moon
It's just a game she squeals
I hear her speak
Just like you
The same thoughts go round and round
Like gravity
We all fall down
She takes a grain of salt
Throws it over her right shoulder
We are home I think
She leans into me
Her breath is gentle
Like a slow train gurgling through the shade
No time for superstitions
We are chicken shit
January sane
I will take a figure
Measure things out
She will be there
Of course
And eventually all will be well
I watch her face
It is calm and still
Asleep in the cold touch of night.

The Body

The body breathes in chaos
Breathes out love
All at once order and discordant noise
The shape of bones barely covered by skin
The inhalation whole
The exhalation halved
We lie on the cool tiles
Try to make sense of the map
The ridges and bumps
The story unfurled
Fingers twitching
Head aching
The body breathes in chaos
Breathes out love
All at once order and discordant noise.

Sink

We watch the water drain from the sink
Hands shaking
Heart leaping
A thudding staccato
A sin once denied
We curl up in flames
Feel the crackle and sizzle on our skin
The smallest words shout like a stone in the night
We turn the doorknob
Spy inside
We are thinner
Our movement slick
We binge on sidekicks
Blow a whistle and she is gone
How I will miss her
Like the smallest thing removed from my life
I watch the water drain from the sink
Hands shaking
Heart leaping.

Door

We scramble towards the door
A tangle of hair and stolen dreams
Hatter waves a rainbow
All we wish for is sleep
The Windows rattle
Like bones in a tin
We cannot enter
We cannot go in
The door is falling off its hinges
We prop it open with bottles
Wish for powder
Ache for dreams
We scramble in
We fall all out.