Breathing Hot Air

You're sitting silent, exploring the tightening
jaw–hands together gratefully, thumbs in dialogue,
the rough contours of your teeth.
Lean back into yourself and out of conversation but...

You've been waiting, hearing the emptiness so loud
at the end of every sentence.  Listen to those lips close and bite,
those brown eyes softening as you count thoughts
just enough to turn away, just fragile enough to break,
This all-too patient clock.  Fuck!  Fuck it

You want to show, don't tell
her how meaningless words are,
how one could spend hours on the right one,
when a kiss would be just as electric
battery gentle, as a striking way to contact

as empty as space,
as empty space.

Your heart is choking you.
You swallow it back into your stomach.
It falls with a plop into the acid and bile.
It beats there, a tsunami.
Your throat rumbles thunder.
You wet your lips with rain water,
Open your mouth –

But someone else breaks the clouds.