you’d like nothing more than nothing from me
and what greater toll could you extract?
family, hand-in-hand in prayer,
moments of intimacy we'll never get back.

cushioned in the voice, lips, arms of my love,
I lose my footing in our sweet reverie.
light azure sky. crisp, clean air in my lungs,
flooded with the potential of memories.

virginal-spined books. the ova of poems.
handsome words offer solace you won't.
the rosebuds of hope in my heart and head
gather vowels, consonants to gift you, but I don't.

sirens wail. ravens caw. robins perch. sing low
between the noises of demolition too early outside my window.