it was summer
exposition
bodies smoothed
in clear blue
its length
that covered
broken carapace
you
to walk
day
the peaches
to take a page
wonderful
muteness
all of it
our deep bodies
it was wet
the condo
it was a $12
& it was
i cried hard & fast
my face in your hair
we ate well
wanted to do
it was a short time
of all the short times
to itself
was headed

it was the bliss of
we drank & our
it was floating
between us
it was a sweater
it was a scarab’s
it was me looking at
we left the vivisection
it was a shy windless
we touched we ate
from the beginning)
everywhere was
& long hours of
the dying beetle
with us
of warm water
in the back of
& a wad of damp cash
a pair of pewter wings
that did us in
it was visionary
we were happy
& everything we
it was a short time
in the beginning
gorgeous stupid fire
we occupied
on well oiled tracks

it was peaches on the fruit stand
& sunscreen & sunlight
into a crescent of forward motion
you & me & the short time
beautifully becoming shorter
half of a person
it was you looking at the cracks
we picked numbly at our lips
back down to the beach
& everywhere we glittered
(which you had taken
out of beginnings
even our thick swallows
& fresh memory of
swam the perfect sea
hosts for a network
footprints to the bedroom
it was hot honey toast
necklace dangling on it
the dead beetle
into the expectation of your corpse
my wrinkled weeping skin
& everywhere we wanted to live
we did
it was a short time
was a small candle setting
& the train of thought
for darkness

Ele Gonzales-Poirier is a student at Columbia College.