smokerings

[ four ]

morning at five, halogen
bright, smoke dusted
lonely streets
you're fast a-sleeping,
the woman whispers
long and dark in my ear
long darkness that twists your hair,
soft mad darkness
slides across
the lake, breaks.
green filigree patchworked
Michigan skies, vines strangle
spindle fingers
witches cry and spin,
giddy-sick in between
green, lime green
fields, forests, factories.
in this other town.
this other life.
that four letter word
i forget we carried, i forget
selfish flesh, from
years gone by -

love is
the writing sickness.
hard and evil,
greedy.
mine.