Last Breath at Dawn

I don't know what has been absolved what not I hear people still with
no beating thing called a heart feel a warm hand on my back evil comfort comfort

thy people I need someone to believe me I dig the iron
into the neck of the shirt beneath the collar against the windpipe red birds

pecking their faces into cracks outside torch-shaped trees losing
their minds dry roots pull out is anywhere wet I have not slept at all no one

will wake in the house for hours earth against deeper earth
molten story a river I don't know where you are maybe you wake up next

to your husband next to your life water in its pod coins on the aspen turning
all things straightened all things—

Copyright © 2002 Katie Ford All rights reserved
from Northwest Review
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission