“In This Life”

“In This Life”

In this life

and all harm

comes only to crows

but crowns and seashells

we’ll dress in seaweed

say goodbye to our filial heartbeats

never meant a thorn

or really any true blue blushes

we have this set tonight

but everyone will fall asleep in flowers

it’s too hollow

but if we stay underwater

in this river

our hair and gravity might float away

clean hearts

it’s a slice of molten life

I used to be your neighbor

or a friend

I’m still looking for you

hold my barbwire hand

skip back through the days

I’ll still have my Rolodex

somewhere in a yearbook

with my old self gone too silent now

I’m still as the rocks

and that’s love.

Tags: in this life, Nicholaus Patnaude, poem, poetry