One Day Missing Sunrise
the woman behind the counter clears dishes
a part of her duties
she works the slow afternoon shift
between customers she lifts the counter
steps out with a rag to wipe tables in hunky slabs of sun
faded squares block off sections of the floor
she pushes her way through the cafe
the outline of flesh beneath her dress with daisies
is barely noticeable
i begin to feel
self-inflicted
wounds of this afternoon
pierce my skin
sunlight daggers through stained glass
bleeds the small room a brood of paler colors
a shade of dried flowers
i¹m falling in love with lesbians
the woman with orange hair stifles sunbursts
smiles
serves coffee
i heard her say her middle name was joy
will she ever be sad
squeezing lemons in the back room
house keys hung around her neck
sun going down
moonlight
savage hydrangea sleeps
rings of stars
owls in the great wide silent trees
drunk on cosmos
a bush path
undertaking
the dream returns me to the water awake
the shell flower your ear
breaking whispers
i can hear the ocean beneath your hat
the ledger of the wind
leaves
sleeping voices in our bodies
swallowtail songs
love luscious brush
she doesn't know her arm
keeps watch
the same broken face for years
my hands are bird shadows on the wallclock
the radio plays for hours