The plants need watering
but have sprouted all the same
a little thicket on the shelves we made
casting wild shadows in the lamplight
We had conventional passions
but in the dark soil of my body
no seeds have taken
there will be no making hand shadows with children
It’s tempting to seek fault
for nothing taking root
after all, a buddleia will grow out of
a bare brick wall with no signs of others near by
That we’ve made so little together
curls up with us as we wind around each other
in the darkness
wishing we could sleep it away
Amanda Barlow