a phoenix cannot rise from ashes alone
the desire to burn has to calcine the bones of its corpse
before rising from the dead
should embers curl through our marrow like an overlooked road
it is only a matter of time before we both are deconstructed
reduced to carbon and curling up like too-sweet smoke
they say that controlled fires prevent further destruction
rolling down mountains like the sweep of a lover’s hands
yours were always too cold to keep me warm
instead I shriveled in the winter of our bed
my breath rising like steam in the space between our bodies
wishing for a way to burn
Advertisements