to listen. entirely.

moon,

let’s just listen

today.  let’s still

our clotted tongue

and keep,

 keep deeply.

our vigil.  because someone

someone,

somewhere, has their dark

descending—

and their lamps

are unlit,

or are charred,

are long-wicked
when lit,

are bilges of soot…

let’s say nothing.

  we have

listening

to do—

and then we have sifting

to do—

moon,

you are god enough

to know when the house

has burned,

has finally fallen

room by room

into itself,

and all the heat of it

has risen

has sunk…

please.

let’s, when asked,

come with our thin mesh,

come with our ear,

come with our tongue,

to shake through

to catch

to wash

stroke after stroke

the story the story the story

each little shard

whispers to us

and then let’s oh let’s

fall on our knees

for each one of them.