Breath – Page 20 – Iron Haiku

fingers intertwined
your slippered feet atop mine
before the fire
–
two dozen years-
still waking up
next to you

the last white rhino-
a moment of extinction
right before our eyes
–
blood in the dirt-
a portrait with
his latest kill

flat black soulless eyes
devoid of humanity
staring back at me
–
cold city street-
trying not to see
the homeless

a fleeting moment
captured in a photograph
when we were in love
–
a glass of wine-
this shoebox full
of torn photos

a cold waiting room-
absolutely terrified
of what will come next
–
eyes closed-
the taste of salt
in my veins

nestled in the snow
a single long stemmed red rose
rests on your headstone
–
cold rain-
in the gutter
a bouquet of roses

under crushing debt
the future turns to ashes
swept by our children
–
wild fire-
fed by embers
on the wind

eyes looking inward
staring into the darkness
barely held at bay
–
cleansing breaths-
the forest
whispers

lives in transition
our time of death uncertain
until the next one
–
morning glory-
time enough
to live again

a vial of poison-
reminiscences of you
held up to my lips
–
desert skies-
reflections of death
in the watering hole