Evening empties a harbor
As smoke billows into a bedroom
Inhaling the fool in the air
People rush through its channel

As smoke billows into a bedroom
Papers and tablets drowned
People rush through its channel
Resting like questions on a reef

Papers and tablets drowned
But in asking what do I evade
Resting like questions on a reef
In space, invader-lit

But in asking what do I evade
I have little but presence of mind
In space, invader-lit
To give and the mind are a terrible thing

I have little but presence of mind
To give, property snow falls around
To give and the mind are a terrible thing
Your face a circular sting

To give, property snow falls around
I was sore in a number of senses
Your face a circular sting
Absent as a window’s weight

I was sore in a number of senses
Cruel as moss blanketing my lips
Absent as a window’s weight
Passengers slip out of

Cruel as moss blanketing my lips
Whispering to one another in cuffs
Passengers slip out of
No more or less sadistic

Whispering to one another in cuffs
A guard brutally splayed
No more or less sadistic
Over an exit, and deeply dreaming

A guard brutally splayed
Was raining and it was going to stream
Over an exit, and deeply dreaming
That word I had before, cruel crystal

Was raining and it was going to stream
I seem to have forgotten
That word I had before, cruel crystal
The chemical property’s name

I seem to have forgotten
But remember more than I admit
The chemical property’s name
And am equal to its melting

But remember more than I admit
Our laughter spilling under the door
And am equal to its melting
From where we once collected

Our laughter spilling under the door
Evening empties a harbor
From where we once collected
Inhaling the fool in the air

Image © Stuart Rankin