Leah Dodd

when smoke clung to skin like
shine on the pavement

(I couldn't sit around knowing
...

minutes grew into hours and the hope of
you weakened until it was
behind me and
ahead was a blank page
...

once i knew how to feel
all at once without
staining your skin
in the way you'd hunt something
...

I took you on the Backyard Tour
the orange tree ached
for fruit and our footsteps
pressed grass like clay
...