1. awake in a nest of white
ocean river water of the fleuve saint-laurent out the window
a kiss on my shoulder
2. breakfast feast
long-awaited performance art moment
fork in left hand
knife in right
scrambled eggs
tomatoes
cheese
toast
bacon
sent in a circle around the table
3. the self-knowledge it takes
to arrive at this moment
and the bravery of acting upon it
4. all the ache stored into this realization:
the best way to love you right now
is to let you go
5. how i reside
in two places at once
both inside and outside this moment
6. soft observance of you
napcurled
in summer body
across the light-washed room
the desire
to be held up against it
pressed into
sweating
7. every moment
from here until the 13th
a ritual
an ache
an act of bravery
8. salt in three forms:
sweat
tears
ocean river
9. balanced on rocks
in salted river water
i built you so deeply into me
it will take
what feels like ages
to deconstruct
10. french
carried on air
from highway to window
escaping mouths
of geared up bikers
11. how i would make a flower essence
of metis
if i knew how.
lupine, vetch, wild rose
salty water of the st. lawrence
12. afloat
cool saltwater across skin
stinging tiny shrimp bites
radiant rock heat
holding me up
13. borrowed shoes
from your mom
4 kilometers later
i lower my body
into
river ocean salt
14. moon comes up over laundry line
15. thus begins the parade of history:
talk of handfasting
inspired by blanket forts
something about a glamrock wedding
i must march them past
and lower them down
into earth
detail collector 