forest

coffee-black

as sleeplessness

whisper forgiveness to each

torn limb

of  many ringed widened trunk…

who are you?

sent down as bait

to catch keepers of the night

you surprised the things

of the dark..

as echos rattled

like repeated vows

and mushrooms

bloomed from the corners

of our eye,

you offer me a fine infusion

a ladder to climb

to feast on the

perfect branch…

sudden light in water

like schools of carp

reveals screeches from

pine to pine

listen, careful words of the night…

cover these leaves

with ridicule

released from wide mouths

through canopied skylight..

tear the wind nightdress 

leaving belly falling to thigh

cancel me in blood

as my farewell to you

moves

like blind crustaceans

on ocean floor