dawn’s dog mouth already yawns 
to reveal its pink anatomy,
the river lolling its wet tongue

light pools on the floorboards,
licks at the legs of a chair,
finds my dress hanging there

it’s time to play
the lovers who will strut
through separate rooms
as the day commits
to its terms and conditions

you hold me as though the doorstep
were a cliff-edge

light-headed,
I wade through this air
clear as cold water

we know the body is a bad historian
and we suck
the marrow of this moment
pressed to the wall,
we lick our delicious wound

outside, a bus coughs the day back into life

i never meant to leave
a trail of pebbles
back to you
and I so don’t
and here you are
saying this was beautiful you
are beautiful
tracing
my shadow on the wall
with red lipstick