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.