Candle Leaping
A cigarette sits pressed between his lips, tipped and lit, it’s bittersweet
Twirled through calloused fingertips, he flicks and kills it with his feet
Searing sun, palo verde tree, back meets bark, he feels the heat
Hand meets heart, he feels it beat, stares and sighs, it’s incomplete
Is there love for these hearts? Is there beauty for these eyes?
Can we get some peace of mind? Is there truth for all the lies?
He bites his lip and rubs his eye, holds his breath and shoos a fly
Squints and scans the sweeping sky. Wonders when and whispers, “why?”
He feels it deep ...