Am I cold
because I don’t 
because I’d rather 
that you did
because I did
mine and I 
don’t want yours
unless and until 
you finally do 
I’m going to 
stay over here 
on this side 
of the fence 
I’ll run along 
side of you 
but I won’t 
let you in 

Pause comes
before rest
a moment 
to look
around seeing 
where I
have been 
one step 
two then 
three and 
four and 
onto the 
bench in
the middle 
of nowhere 

Keeping my keep 
and keeping it
clean and tidy 
washing my clothes 
and my body 
focusing on myself 
keeps my keep 
I’m the only 
one who can 
do or will
so my keep 
is the only 
thing I’m keeping 

Friends and lovers 
two ends of
the same middle 
two logs and 
one tiny match
to create fire
meant to warm 
never to mind 
melt or keep 
two becomes one 
and then out 
as the chill
creeps back in 
from the corners 

I do wish 
upon a bone
once every year 
always it seems 
that like a
flower past prime 
I am left
with the stem
not the dream