To Karin: A Plain Beyond the City
Coal-brown smoke smudged lightly
with hesitant fingers
into the wet grey sky at the edges,
a yellowing of dried grass
scattered with copper berries
fallen from their vines,
a leaf spinning crazily on a breeze,
a tentative parting of fingertips
and a face turned slightly from mine –
a profile obscured by dark hair –
and eyes scan and count the pylons
for something to do.
The match flares, hissing in the silence,
and a cigarette is shared quietly
to still the noise inside
over this,
our goodbye
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