by Ellery Pridgen

We light

              one cigarette on the lawn, drink

Fireball- from a

              dented flask, and careless 

With one apostrophe- one

              note- accidental words-

But now- we are

              none.  

              One-

Cigarette:repeats-ebbs-and starts over- a continuous thread

glinting-ghosting-careful-eyes

the moon-swoon-slow-breath

Ember that stains-bleeds-ruins

              as is best. 

Hot cinnamon-pine-tree smell

              One

more before we are

              dragged back-    alone. 

You      

              words that make no sense-

              Spaces I don’t inhabit-

              oak-stone-vetiver-silk.

But I 

              just want this cigarette.

              One and only new

Moon - I roll down

              The backs of the hills-

              Touching shoulders-

              Sharing one 

              Last 

              Cigarette. 

                                          Before I     go.