it comes

it comes

and you don’t know what to do but babble

maybe all or the thing itself



you say fire because it consumes

because it takes nothing with it

but itself



it comes

of itself with no announcement

like a strange friend at a dinner party



there was a time

you thought you would never lose it

then it leaves for a time



but when it comes back

it’s different

you look at the books like so many ciphers



you tell him

as you’re leaning against the trash mound

that you had it once



you had it

but it left and you’re worried

that you won’t recognize it



that the skies

will be changed

when you look up



this time

your neck won’t hurt

you will stretch upwards like green



the meaning of things

will be like this, up

then down, growing then wilting