Cancer

hard conversations
and a tongue well versed in the
dialogue of death

cherry blossoms-
walking the garden
with just enough poison

Hung

staring unfocused-
bloodshot sky barely noticed
through these bleary eyes

cottonmouth-
a morning dove
splits my skull

Heat

arid desert sands
old leather cracking in the
unforgiving sun

rising smoke-
a candle’s
last remnants

Dawn

waiting for the sun
thready morning clouds make way
for her arrival

open windows-
awake before
the alarm

Silver

waning pewter clouds
part to reveal the dark moon
hidden in plain sight

silver threads-
weaving by
moonlight

Battle

curling up in pain
the taste of salt on my lips
from licking my wounds

echoes-
broken antlers on
the forest floor

Plummet

disoriented
twisted, I fall through my dreams
and land in my bed

ephemeral-
fire across
the evening sky

Transformation

staring at myself
I see that I have become
what I feared the most

predawn-
coming awake
in a stranger’s mind

Solitude

floating alone on
an odd patch of flat water
in amidst the waves

open windows-
a raven shelters
from the storm

Sun

the fall of the year-
bare limbs of towering trees
reaching for the sun

sunrise-
amber leaves
on the water