Tarried.

I wanna be your cowboy.

strike that.

I wanna be the horse

I wanna be that horse

who carries you.

heartbeats synced

beneath our feet

I keep tracing air for your-

I love every single thing

about those hands

how they hold

the gold rush

my hat still in my hand

here catching flint rock

I’ll keep shifting sand

bucket of heat

knock-kneed

I could weep

you’re still here

keep sending

keep sending

the smoke signal

push a finger

round the gum

rub away the taste

the letters

so goddamn free

there isn’t a thing

I want to stop

you from inhaling

save what damages

I think I’d like

to watch you live

all the cracks

so I can kiss em

I’ll start with the fingers

the grooves in the palm

tilt your head back

in my pocket

there’s calm

save it in my can-

feel it on the tongue

you put the calm

you put the calm

are you happy

look at us,

tarrying,

in this fog.

a shoe

left

untied.

Originally published at https://www.jenniferparkhill.com on February 13, 2021.