Don't Spook the Horse

Heard the wave’s message
whispered in a bottle at 3 a.m.
                    the door latch broken
                              & the still night air
                    eaten up by a candle flame

No where to take it finally
            we never owned any of it
Slight bend in the streetlights
                    sand in your clothes

as surrender would consecrate
the way the deal went down
sampling the castanets

& if she dreams maybe shedding her
                    caustic bikini so as to
            pry up a corner
                              of the night