cat's cradle 

you loved me last
night how i wanted 
how i always wanted--
you cupped me in your
hands like a firefly
or a toad--
soft skin & faint
street lamp
gentle & irrevocable--
no part of me could ever have
escaped you--
& you told me that 
the telephone wires
were the biggest lie--
that they were god
playing cat's cradle
with the cords-- threading
his fingers in & out--
look it's the Eiffel tower--
the witches broom
oh the cat's cradle
the cat's cradle 
you slept with me in
& we pulled out the telephone
wires to listen to
everyone's phone calls--
oh no-- not like
the NSA-- we listened
like god listens
to the thighs 
of the crickets 
when night falls
on all of earth at once--
when he slips the sun
into his back pocket
like a round golden watch
& he listens to everything--
he hums along
to our ticking--
the clock hands
in our throats
& no
we're not gods 
but we have the telephone
wires to listen to
& we have our bodies
hanging above it all--
your skin on
mine is electric--
reach over will you
& rinse off the
moon in the sink?
let's pretend it's new years
& bang pots & pans
in the driveway--
wake up the neighbors 
& tell them we decided that
it's a new year--
it's a new year
you will love me how
i wanted to be loved--
hands cupped
around 
firefly body
flickering 
like the faint
street lights
tangled
in his
cat's 
cradle