O’SULLIVAN, Leanne

Walking to the hospital

How the autumn dawn burned through

the misty broods and settled down in fire;

how quickly the sun glittered my shadow,

how my shadow cried, a moment, with joy.

A light frost, a vision of light crackling

down the maples, down the tinder ash.

I was the good thief. I held my Love’s

sweet breath, his beautiful, intelligent gaze.

I closed my eyes and he woke inside me.

When I saw, he saw the inflamed world.

A bird sang deeply from the gutter eaves.

When I closed my eyes I was elsewhere.

I walked through the fire of his sleep.