I see it snake
white
light around the edge
like sunshine
through the top of lavender in late summer
or the haze
on the street before the cold morning light hits the asphalt
the trail, the road, the lifeline long in my palm
a path with an X, just one more hitch in the road
and the blood line follows my spine
and I am alive
with the fear of a child
running across the green lawn
up the steps
and pain is yelling one more time
one more day
and I hide behind the dirty house dress
with comfort in my heart
safety
for a minute
but the real fear hides in the woods
behind shallow sea wall
along the river
in the dirty shed
savior in a
small town
plays the piano
she will never know the whole story
I would never have had the heart to tell her