Hope

The rats tap out a message
Shredded paper and shadows
We are waving not drowning
Hold the stick
Swirl the text
All the letters a jumble
We place candles in a bowl
Shield the light
Soft peach sky
All is gone
A clean slate
We move slowly
Tap out our message
Soak in the bath
We wish for order and peace
What we get is very different
I hold the rats
Their tiny hearts beat
They are love
Nestled in my hair
A new day
A life of hope.

Lost

We are lost for words
It's so easy to skip and fall
Wrap the shoes in paper
Place them in a box
This is a complicated hunger
Pious and demanding
We wave at the exit
The mouth of the hole
Follow Rabbit down
It's about all we can do to survive
Take the bus
Sing hymns under our breath
Alice adores the sugar
I can't deny her the pleasure
Her skin is oily
Too much time spent underground
We need to lick the sun
Feel the stars on our face
Words trickle in
Like magic
We gobble them up
Hold our swollen bellies and smile
It is good to be back she murmurs.