F(l)ame defiles
once unzipped, like it’s

     fire—
     how to defy it
     as it licks
     in all our
     glow night denies it?
     By

     sighs
     blown out softly, spit
     past forests
     downriver—
     home before pilots
     fly

     o’er,
     low enough to it
     that each sweats
     yet shivers—
     cold, ignored by its
     light.

Igniting unquenched
tongues lying

     tired,
     shown out before we’d
     had chances
     to try our
     own worn hands at it,
     life

     died—
     drowned hope and our gifts
     as if this
     delivers
     some closure to kids
     hard-

     wired
     down through dark ages
     as agents
     of desire
     unlicensed to act
     (b)right.