to Anna Vincent


two astronomical words
for fear and panic - Phobos and Deimos
and tens of millions of years
before one moon will fall into Mars

her world is incomplete right now
one hand slopes on full moon breast
the other sinks in crater
scar is all there is

life has simplified its daily means
between two painkillers
there may be dive into sleep
or weeding - excise green from green

when the sun slices through shade
breathing spaces are hard to find
and cirrus clouds shed flurries
down the spine

she closes eyes to freeze the moment
what a miracle to turn off light
with a fall of eyelids
and still the snow



Bywords Quarterly Journal, December 2009, Ottawa