the long way (reposted)

this poem was published in the onion union, which seems no longer to exsist. so i've rummaged through my old files and found it for repost here. because this is my favorite poem that i've ever written, i wanted to share it with you all again.

the long way

we were lying down the long way
when the tides shifted in the cove

clipper ships swiveled and capsized
in the wake of a realistic day dream

or the juice of a plum that we shared
with the natives on fortified beaches

your sun-burnt stomach turned brown
under the orange moon of august

rising and falling like birds on loose cords
spanning mediocre highways in rural towns

and growing like a nest of twigs
our bodies absorbed the marshland salts

taking each seed home in separate pouches
that we traded for rifles and fishing hooks


special thanks to Marcus McCann for helping me retrieve this poem!