the boy is mercy, mercy
roll from bed to floor,
carpet tack and legoes under heel,
boy is armpit sweat, itchy legs,
call the doctor, wreck of bed
and bedclothes, boy is undies,
shine of legs, straight of spine,
hands and knees, back a table,
airplane, bumblebee, left, dance,
dive, boy is a unison groan, blood
spilled out on the paving stones 

boy is shade and shadow, face half
swallowed by street-light,
boy is disappearing round the corner,
skateboard roamer, boy names
the neighborhood raccoon,
palms a dried up turtle,
rescues baby robin from sidewalk,
his palm is still, holds it, showing, 
boy tells a story
endless and nonsensical, boy laughs
in the middle of every room, 
boy made of stick and elbow 
scar tissue, knee,
boy in bare feet
face full of janky teeth

boy still whispers,
i love you mommy,

boy tender, boy tired,
boy asks for singing, a song through wire
my voice he wants to hear me, 
asks for fingers writing lines
on back, the finally still boy
sleeps without waking,

boy is night light until midnight
boy is nose in book, boy is bandana, beanie,
boy is knuckle, freckle, tickle, claw 
boy is soft exhale, is neck breath, 
is star shape, is swing

boys made of water, 
sometimes calm,
but mostly mystery,
sun slanting through his surfaces,

boy full up with summer,

some creature
some boys conjure

who he became
on his own