the daylight bridge

the daylight bridge
over mornings cool shallow waters
carries the dark veiled men
to the salt stained rocks of the levee
where they stand amid the sea spray
silently counting the thunder of breaking waves
silent tally of immortal sea
she walks there among the giants
picking flowers in the heart of the raging sea
because that is where she believes she belongs
because she believes she is cursed
i plunder the sand from her salted skin
hoping to heal her wounded mind

the daylight bridge
and her lips are on my mind
full lush supple with silken touch
watch them deliver hammer-stroke with tender wet touch
watch her mouth give birth to nightmares
as she looks at me calmly
watch the complexity of her eyes as they
walk her through the apocalypse of her hearts desire
full lush supple with silken touch
like a lover in summers eve
too near to touch too far to flee
too frightening to be

she carries with her a leather bound book
with names and faces
with places whipped by dust
others careworn with a blanket of snow
barren as the tomb
a motel sing flickering in a humid night
and the tears you know come attached to its neon glow
a silhouette of a woman seeking to be whole
in the labours of the unholy
you despise her
but she sustains the air i breath
she maintains the mountain that i lay under
i live for her smile

the daylight bridge crumbles in the humid night
and like the iron soiled black veiled men
we stand and with guarded silence await the dawn
and the redemption of her smile
await her
and she speaks my name
like a treasure
to be stolen