Seasons – Page 96 – Iron Haiku

Reckoning

staring at myself-
the bottom of a shot glass
looking back at me
–
oasis-
an empty carcass
in the sand

hard conversations
and a tongue well versed in the
dialogue of death
–
cherry blossoms-
walking the garden
with just enough poison

staring unfocused-
bloodshot sky barely noticed
through these bleary eyes
–
cottonmouth-
a morning dove
splits my skull

arid desert sands
old leather cracking in the
unforgiving sun
–
rising smoke-
a candle’s
last remnants

waiting for the sun
thready morning clouds make way
for her arrival
–
open windows-
awake before
the alarm

waning pewter clouds
part to reveal the dark moon
hidden in plain sight
–
silver threads-
weaving by
moonlight

curling up in pain
the taste of salt on my lips
from licking my wounds
–
echoes-
broken antlers on
the forest floor

disoriented
twisted, I fall through my dreams
and land in my bed
–
ephemeral-
fire across
the evening sky

staring at myself
I see that I have become
what I feared the most
–
predawn-
coming awake
in a stranger’s mind

floating alone on
an odd patch of flat water
in amidst the waves
–
open windows-
a raven shelters
from the storm