After The Last Beat Of A Heart Monitor
so while she slept for
another lifetime, we
were promising ourselves
exactly what we would not
do
waste sunlight,
carry home water from the ocean
in our weakening hands,
worry,
catch ourselves—
falling is fine,
weaken the skirmishes of victory
for our art,
catch the tie-ups before
floating into open water.
holding still as
an empty sky,
her lips, although motionless, told me
sacrifice emboldens.