morning

fitful sleep and the echo
. of footfall down the hall

the scarf of a dream lingers
. in the room wafts off
as the eyes open to see

what happened behind closed
. eyelids whose hands
was i cupping in mine

someone slammed a door someone
. leaped through an open
. window

the skeleton of the night
. washes its bones
. in the rain
. water
untouched yet by flesh except
. that of a dream

i wash my face in its bones

my face its bones the light
. coming off the sheets of rain

the cupping of hands the lips
. closing over the rim
. of vowels
. like a prayer
:

First published in Willawaw Journal, Fall 2019, Issue 7