when his free
hand draws a fine line
between each breath

everett cozad

captured birds
retrieving the new morning
for worship

captains table

blue intrusions
cabled through corroded
shipping lanes

she'll save her
prayer until tomorrow
turns dark blue

an
ocean
of
parasitic
wishes
to
wash
yer
newborn
baby
in

nathan's lament

does
liberty
accessorize
a
falling
star
?

pale king me

will fresh cut
flowers appease the
fingers of death?

see the way the earth
curves when you hold
the right woman's hips

4.1.84

her
greatest
fear
is
that
he's
lost
and
forgotten

just
bones
in
a
box
with
no
conclusive
bottom

shovel

here's where it hurts
here's the needle
for keeping score
with hand held syringes
disguised as church steeples

sky

the hole in
yer shirt that exposes
my blue skin

her inquiry

the lion with his
silver sieve won't listen when
the honeysuckle moans

tupelo territory

birthday gift

when yer daughter
carves out pieces of herself
on crisp paper

Glass

The wall that divides us.
The wall that connects us.
Tinting our vision.
Adding color that blinds our thoughts.

Pretending it's not there.
It is clear.
We can not see through.

There is a crack.
A hint that this barrier can be broken.
Words, phrases,
small sounds slip through
Misunderstood.

~ECS age 12

let me boil
down those bones before you
throw them out

tight lipped ladies
save their sugar for
simple men

lets just lay
here and watch the winter
birds get by