THE 2 HANDS OF HEAVEN.

I'll never be 24 again,

I bow my head.

(Christ, have mercy.)

I'll never again,

know your wordless hands,

or the way we speak fire when

they simply pass along me.

(In the name of salvation, we pray.)

I'll never set foot again,

over the thin graves,

of your thick powers-

alone in this hour.

(Thank be the Lord.)

I'll never again find our eyes;

dancing along the East River,

tripping along the subway stairs,

collapsing into bed fully clothed.

(Blessed be God for ever.)

It takes time.

It takes time.

It takes the time,

the time I can't spare-

for a little prayer.

We lift our broken hearts to the heavens-

(We lift them up.)

OUR OTHER HEMISPHERES.

if I could dust the salt

right off your lips,

i would, just watch me.

If I could poison

your exact location,

it would be

my favorite vacation.

If I could reach right through

your living room,

slide against you,

close enough to measure,

it would be our pleasure.

If I had a way out,

if I had the sand,

to find the phantoms

of your hands.

we would have a word for free,

and it would be chemistry.

if i could

i would-

if we could

we almost certainly would.

pity for us,

the heavens have conspired.

the stars laugh to tears,

at our other hemispheres.

(and when you say 'wait',

you mean 'come now'-

when I say 'meet me here'

I mean 'show me how.')

A DIFFERENT STORY.

If you were just- A mere partner;

If you were just- A boy raised on a farm;

If you were just- All poor eyesight and extravagent limbs;

If you were just; Lips like the earth's crust, A voice like chruch bells: This would be a different story. If you were just: A man I knew Who knew me too; You would be anything but everything. And this would be a different story. Because you are not just: You are scissored silence You are dropped knees You are the soft sting Gathered by honey bees. You are wild as you are caged, You are trembling as you are braved- You are right to be wrong You were wrong all along. I cup my two hands across the Atlantic- I cup them tightly over your ears, I mouth the wicked words- That you refuse to hear. If you were just: A handshake to release

If you were just: A little less a peice of me

If you were just: A fire to smother

If you were just: Someone other-

Then what you are

and what you aren't- This would be A different story.