waiting for words
to mean what they used to —
hanging on with the leaves

who will believe
the way the moon looked at dawn
if I don’t believe

one time I came home
with everything I went for —
shopping victory

still caught off guard
by my heart’s drop and flip —
what you do to me

watching as dawn
puts the stars back to bed —
the birds cry all rise

cacophonous geese
cursing each other out —
even by moonlight

(for AB & SB)

busy garden wren —
every moment, making the choice 
between earth and sky

branches piled high —
slowly moving our backyards
around to the front

my grandmother’s
freshly squeezed orange juice —
childhood as nectar