spine fluid and
meadow plants and orchards
replaced by

metallic 
black heat

a burst 
of shrubs, bodies
cut in two by an oak 

a direct hit

most die just
following the path
of air

*

splitting open stone
arranging pebbles 
in patterns 
in the dark

pulling throats
around us a little 
tighter

sweat 
and nervous breath

hung
between two kinds
of language

and one will
soon die

*

years
of light, each bit of re-
born tissue
sings

fertile once
we will be again
open 

and spilling

side by side
taking in
and giving back 

the sound of rivers 
of grass