When We Were Dying

Katrina Kaye

We pay little attention
to the throbs as the
strychnine clenches backbones,

leaving us partially immobile
in the pain of descent.
The three of us lay in a triad,

trying to see faces in the sky.
Only a few hours ago,
the stars had so much

to say, but now they sit,
shimmering silently.
We are dirty and exhausted.

Our bodies expelling
poison through pores
opening up to the dawn.

But, somehow, we don’t
feel as alive as we did
when we were dying.

“When We Were Dying” is previously published in Leonardo Literary Magazine (2005).

Chess

Katrina Kaye

I will not let you win,
but
if you contemplate your attack

and occasionally lift your head
to meet my gaze,

you might be able to see my next move
behind meditative eyes.

If you look,

I might give something away.
Something you are invited to take.

“Chess” is previously published in A Scattering of Imperfections (2009).

Katrina Kaye

This is a love song.

Heavy with honey,
yet rinses clean.

Know the fingerprints
which imprint on skin
have composed melody.

Our time together manifests into
wave upon wave of acoustic play,

like the night the power went out
so we lit candles and spit the lyrics
to American Pie over and over
until we recited every syllable.

Or the morning we watched the sun rise
humming Beatles ballads heard in dreams
amid the steam of coffee over pines.

There was the Thursday afternoon
in the heat of July when we watched
lightning bite the earth
and sang lonely songs of rain.

And the 4 a.m. we carelessly switched A to E
to catch a tune to match fresh free verse.

Eager to raise our voices together.

Sing with you,
to you,
clumsy hands
snapped strings,
missed notes,
forgotten words,
didn’t stop us.

I want to capture those days
in more than fuzzy photographs
and slurred memories.

I want to recreate the melody,
construct a love song,
a dedication,
to you,
to everyone,
snared in the fleeting moments
when it’s good to be alive.

“Love Song” is previously published in They Don’t Make Memories Like That Anymore (2011).