It’s too late to gather your clothes
about you;

the morning light has already found you naked
just before his eyes of acid rain—

working the last half day in reverse
without the sun’s spirant assistance.

An intimate world collapsing

swans in a cesspool
branches of brine
hands barricading your clouded face

if there was a chance out
it wasn’t beneath the lost demure of these sheets—

flailing gestures only bind you tighter
to a bed that was never yours.

—

Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart nominee and a Best of the Net nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.