~ “where your absence is presence”

Woods stir wind and green, an occasional orchid, wakes us to sun, frost

on the grass. Just a little darkness left over – the torn edge of night

still in my hand, fist curled around him stroking

my hair, not lovingly, a tenderness outside of love. Where dawn

seizes my lungs, daylight redefines the room, colors

the windows in forest, our bruised limbs,

untangling – my ear from his heartbeat – visibly frightened, visibly

running away. Turning on his side shakes me from dreams that will not

believe me, just laugh at the collaged desires out of mind – familiar song

cut apart, reassembled in the shape of another voice. Wildly

keeping still, hungrily asking him

for nothing: his rhythmic, sleeping breath; his silence around my words,

a caress, imagined. We linger between arms wrapped around each other

in conversation and eyes not meeting as we get dressed

quietly, afraid to disturb the parting