late birthday evening, lily in my lap

watching the stars as i watch my steps,

i find poetry in the night sky,

and i apologize once again to autumn. 

there are broken branches even on this side of the door,

the inside part,

and there are bulbs that need changing,

stars gone out,

yes, even here, even on this side,

and i dangle my feet under the almost empty emma tree

and dear god, but the silence - can you not see it? -

is a gift wrapped in colors gone to bed for the night.

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