the leaving

The leaving

The night before you go

arrives early and all at once

in the dark of a door closing.

the house is full

of low light and the walls

thick with leaving.

In dreams

I could keep you -

a small bribe

to the sun would stall

it midway through the sky

+ keep us forever undone.

Half asleep

the body is bent to

a god’s decree,

and it’s now

I could give you

a whole mouthful

of small confessions –

like my heart

is a startled creature,

skittish and cornered by

the prospect of starving

in an orchard –

and dawn, souring

and the dream I have

of giving you a goodbye sweet enough

to stop the leaving.

so let’s not talk a

bout tomorrow yet – let us

stall and only pretend

to arrange our futures.

so keep your hands

to yourself + don’t let them

get too big with swelling and heat and want

stop

grasping at things out of reach

just let your gaze

drift to tomorrow’s door

and my god -

how I wish you’d fling it open

say we’re staying

just one more impossible day –