you never looked so uncomfortable
as you did
in your canary cage
your ice age
floating down stream

jury present
I read the words
danced the dance
made haikus out of
name tags

when I was a girl
I dreamt of fields
marigolds and woven dreams
and all the while
I combed your hair
shining sun
made you feel safe and perfect

and in some night
I fought myself
while filling up
on your tenderness
I took to the fields
once again
and married my friend,
the sunshine