Another night like
a naturally occurring bitumen
for us to travel -

I single out
this solitary drop of water
eagerly seaking path
gently pushing
down the slopes of your body
I make it my extinguished enemy

you look at the ceiling
counting the cracks in the paint
counting the layers
of paint
counting the cracks below
and above
your eyes reporting the total
like a fume slowly burning
trapped within a fragile turning glass

the water wave arch
of the back and the
right hand grip
the shadow of a Christ bleeding
the dust of such a shadow
rubbed into the curtains

and then -