circling in our solar system
competing gravity
can be
so disruptive
knocked out of orbit
ecosystem’s off
where’s the off switch
life, I need to pause, regroup
oh, you just spit summer
and say: here!
this is your holiday
enjoy me
so I lay my bronzing, once-pale body out
a sacrifice of sorts
to Greek gods playing with fire
and nothing
is permanent
they say they found water on Mars
we are the ants of ants of ants
playing in a cosmic sandbox
keep getting glimmers
of the before feelings
I can
double take
recall
somethinglike
the way
it was going to be and I thought
thoughttried triedthought so hard
didn’t I
I guess that moonflower
still exists because
look
they’re still reaching for it
in the spaces in
sleep I haiku, recall but
one line when awake
another night in
sweaty sheets I plot a whole
novel, also gone
every day I try
to mark time, just moments, brain
leaps, thin, minnow-bright
beach-star dances, dawn
waves enjoying one final
twinkle before fade
Photo: Josie Tebo
clairevetica 