south

i know nothing
of song birds-- 
& for you 
my body flushes-- 
feather
& feather & feather
silhouettes--
all these bodies
within me--
did you know
you were
in love with
a formation?
early dusk disperses 
me into a flock
of cranes--
how far south will 
i fly this
winter & will
you follow me when
i do?
what do you
know of containing
millions--
oscillating 
& fluttering
apart-- follow
our feathers  as we
go-- keep
them in your pockets--
black black feathers--
bodies beating--
all my hair stands on
end & i'm on
my back waiting
for
the bottom
of the cloud to
fall out from under me--
i looked out
the window
to see myself
resting in the 
backyard-- there's miles
to fly before 
the earth turns truly
cold-- 
how far would 
you fly to feel warm
again?
& when you move
closer
to touch me i 
draw back-- call
of the common crane
aching in my
hollow bones--
each beak dug
deep into my chest--
you don't know what
your do to me--
how far i scatter
when you approach 
us-- how many
feathers i drop
for you to notice
i'm disseminating 
myself across
this highway--
i want you to drive
home at night--
my crane-call repeating
in your rear view mirror--
my body flushing--
arranging arrow
shape above
you-- orienting
south ignoring
the fury of
the winter sun-- so red
& lustful & brief--
what will you
do when i pull myself
back together?
will you come closer
again-- pick me
up in your arms
& keep me from migrating--
there are so many
pieces of myself
that want to fly 
south-- away from
the throbbing of
my heart-- each wing
a separate pang 
of yearning--
how do we know
how to fracture
& still keep shape--
i want to be
an arrow-- for
your to look
up to when you
are on the highway
& thinking maybe
you'll think
about loving me
& maybe next
time
when you move towards
me in the dark of
my room
i won't flush &
fade so abruptly--
& if i do 
collect
my black sihlouttes
from the bedroom
walls-- 
my body a stained
glass sky--
piece me together 
there-- feather
by feather--
oh do you know
how warm 
we could
be?