we were not strong enough

your marble sculpture hair

and i was too busy running a clumsy

finger over clammy fists to

trace a line or two on flaking plaster.

you were not strong enough

to hold us up, stars & stone

raining like ashen palm leaves

on our heads- this is retribution.

you always disregarded the sky.

i torched the night, i torched the night

but i could only frown in mild disbelief

when fire fire fire choked you

too.

you told me that my hair

was red, red like hearts in

rusted tins, like your eyes

before a fight, before you

tried.

before you got tired.

i was not strong enough.

you broke. i was not shocked at

your pieces, but i was daunted,

dwarfed and dizzied by the task of

fixing you.

i ran.

But.

But I loved you

First.

you can’t take that.

you can’t take that.