The Match

At the stairs to the top of the volcano,
you warn me, "Secrets are small fires.
Let's be more primitive. Let's tie ourselves up.
Let's wait for the monster."
We do. We tie. We wait. And we wait.
This waiting is more like a highway than a staircase.
This waiting is more like waiting than I thought it would be.

There are things that are right about the moon,
but it's not enough. You want to live underneath the volcano—
to stop hanging out in other people's hallways.
You want to take the kitchen chairs out of the kitchen.
It's not unreasonable, but then you cut your heel on the crust of the volcano.
You beg to be put to bed and I do it.
I pretend to know what you are.
You are something that lies down and offers itself.
You are small and almost wooden—a match trying to move to the fire.

You are my arm reaching to turn out the light.

Copyright © 2009 Carley Moore All rights reserved
from Conduit
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission