soot on her forehead
after only dreaming
she still wants it -- tlk

she packs a suitcase
brushes orange peelings
from the bed
smooths fawn leather -- ll

stops at a scar
day dreams of the water moccasin -- tlk

her tongue climbing
stairs in the hair she
can't not remember
six at a time -- ll

so many men
so little her sentence
ends with a period -- tlk

that bleeds, drips
down the page
erases confessions -- ll

before the autumn moon
weeding the onion field -- tlk

licks the new grave
ice crystals lace and stud
the bones it hugs -- ll

night sweats
waking from the dream
a stranger -- tlk