TO BETRAY WHAT'S SETTLED

by mackenzie kozak

 

 

 

if he burns a bridge he continues

to sleep beneath it

 

wears brown, collapses his shoes

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i find him there and he shrugs off

   all mention of this, charred-tongue

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they ask me: what is he what is he not

   getting at home

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when he broke that warm rind it also burned

but nothing came of it

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they ask me: what is he not

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   he was not the beginning of my club foot

but there were times where he made it

     difficult to walk

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i would like already to be at the part looking back

  saying for better and worse it

   is all there

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the ash on the ground is tender

   and opposite           mineral

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i store my bitterness in image

 

   i collect his things and they are

   powdered snow

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they ask: what is he

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he drowses     walks on air

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