Do Tempt Not

Does anybody ever not read 

something marked 

“do not read”                      ?

De fine

The sand and waves drift apart

& come back together like my hipbones and yours’

clamoring together. flicker and fail

The frames of those pictures bled out -

and you said you loved me and I peeled your eyelids 

back and melted the stars inside 

that made up your universe and

put together what was left over

in your calloused palms - like melted wax cooled

don’t ask me why

Digging through the worm’s labyrinth and past

the dead hamsters in size six shoe boxes ;

I thought I was.

Wildflower breeze, and you trace

the pathway my collar bones forge,

under my skin.

But is a shiver any more tangible as a cloud?

I’m not sure If I still have a

spine as the keys to those doors don’t fit and 

who were we to chop down those trees - red ax with 

the splintered handle - only to keep other’s out and 

have to invite them in?     and I thought 

of your breath against foreign wrist 

Which is only really a catalyst  to my

chrysalis. wrinkled and grey, the ink in russet skin

egg shells.

Bitter dandelion leaves and orchard pink  

flesh the morning doesn’t smell like 

dew the morning doesn’t smell like you