let me love the breath
you used to breathe against
my window, just to
draw a little message
in the fog.

and let me love the breath
you used to breathe in to
those fires, sending flame
and smoke and ashes
to the sky

Let me love the breath
you whispered, slipping
through the branches of
the crab-apple trees
you never really dug

Let me love the breath
you used to breathe against
my window,
and I’ll try to forget
the breath you
used to say
goodbye