Come. Beyond thirst, beyond tending,
where rose petals crisp, water greens
in a vase.
Move closer. Breathe my dust, my very flesh
settling. Be dust with me. Here where
we place the things we’ve gathered –
the china Labradors,
the endless cats,
the Cliff Richard plates
Isn’t this how it should be? Piling
fold on fold, letting gravity pull
on our bones, till we can resist no more?
Don’t touch me. My cells ache. My skin
so thin spiders fall through.
It would be a sin to hold someone else.