Winter Nights

the dawn dies quietly--
fall has lost another child,
the trees mourn and
night passes

and winter quakes,
the chill is in my bones. my
fingers shake. the fire in my
lungs burns me through

       I dream of you,
      every night when
     I close my eyes it's
        like falling into
      memories, I always
      wake up screaming

I'm sinking lower than all
good intentions and human
discretions because I am
the toxic underbelly,
underwhelmingly docile
until provoked (poked up
the side to see if I'm alive)

for twelve months I lived
underneath the end of the world,
counting up prophecies. it feels
empty on the other side

     sweet dreams, the night
     suffocates like a loyal
         lover's sighs.