it was a warm day in October
when our feet finally took hold
of the same earth that cradles
every beast in this world
when before night we had devised
how to make paper from skin
and we took care as we took turns
carving our initials in
and although we both knew too well
we were only built of flesh
parts
we dared to write “Forever”
beneath the names and the
heart
as the lichen testified before us
that every dream can and
will
reach great heights when dreamt asleep
beside the Falls of
the Neverkille
and you took the time to pause the day
to promise me you always
would
meet me here with shelter
if the winds of pain passed
through
though I knew you hadn’t much
lining the pockets of your green
dress
still you told me in no ambiguous terms
I’d always have
the better half
but the words that would burgeon
from the gardens of your
tongue
was all it ever took to make me want
to taste the air
with my lungs
now at times I wonder if the crabapples
we ate were maybe just
starch
but they were ours and they were so sweet
sat, watching
the crayfish march