Ahh, Mist

A mountain top? A house? A person?
please don’t breathe out again
please don’t put today to sleep
please don’t force it out, don’t
please don’t open your mouth
please don’t believe in the buoyancy of air


and let down a first well-meaning desire
let down a hand held out
a dazzling face
an intoxicating waist
a morning light held close too long
a silently burning scruple


My damp body has already reached noon
my luke-warm heart is already in middle years
I watch the mist scatter into a feeble sunlight
I pass through a thicket of statues
open a book from which almost all type-face has fled
encourage a very small dream

AHH, MIST