When I was born, before I was anyone’s somebody, did you already know my name

did you know if it would fit

Back when I crawled and cried, did you think I would grow up like this

silver tongued and foul witted

Look what the prying moon has done to us

Putting a hole in our secrets

You were my lion tamer with snapping whip

coaxing me through your fiery hoops

You said you wanted to move to the mountains and not die in this city crowded with lonelyness

With watery eyes, you tried to reverse another goodbye

offering an apology to my reticent western skies

Reading me like a rueful love letter

A time and place we can never get back to

And this one life, is all you get

where do angels go to die, I once asked of you

We counted ebony ravens on a telephone wire

I threw a rock and they scattered, it pissed you off——again.

Another neoned carnival leaves town

filling the now silent night with the buzz of cicadas and chirps of crickets

stray dogs bark at the mute stars

Recalling how you let me put my hands on you

Nervous hands between relenting thighs

Save your posponed prayers for the trapeze flyers

Without a net, without a fear

I think she knew my name 

before she held and rocked me here