The light remains in the window, still holding up

her eyes – lean closer. Seen through rain

and shaking leaves are outlines of affection,

tracings around a kiss, with no kiss

at the center. Too dark to tell what happened – carefully

she took his hand, slowly they climbed to the rooftop, corrugated metal

underfoot and her arms spread at the edge. The sky went blank

after that, woke up in a vase, half-drowned, half-blooming – she fell

out of night. One hand dropped through sun slanting across the table,

beckoned and found her hip pressed against his chest before decision – this

body recognizing the doorway of another, unlocked without being

open. By song pared down

to melody, once an opera

or someone else’s conversation, she made her way

back to the arms of the fire, embrace become dance become

ember – lamp appearance on glass, distinct

in the absence of others – she closed her mouth around

falling water, storm swallowed, glad

waking up empty handed, that is quiet, so

to speak. What may have been turns into

words, touch forms language – his face caught in her

throat, or the recurrence of night is uncertain.