Nocturn: girl smoking in stairwell

wrought iron tattoos its curving form
temporarily on the wall
against my own crouching silhouette


my sad lover,
I inhale and exhale
-guilt and ash
at the things I do not know how
to say to you

will it suffice;
my first awkward words
uttered in years
and I cannot move my
mouth in the shapes I need to


I write quickly
before the light goes out
leaving just the embers in my hand


and then I must go inside
to you