Saturday, May. 24, 2003/11:04 pm

seven

one

two three

four five six

seven

seven

seven times

sevenheapedteaspoonssevengaspssevensips

seven

s

t

e

p

s

till you reach the door,

or walk right back with faerie feet.

She stands by the clock at nine,

and waits for a sign,

hides beneath drapes between 8.30 and 7pm,

and locks the door at 7.01

Wiping her eyes under the moon,

resting her stresses beneath soft light,

clouds break, sun wilts,

she wants to belong to night.

Cracks her knuckles in threes

and chews skittles in twenty-ones

six to fail

six to trip

six to see it all collapse

a wall of terror under a cloak of magicians fear

justreachsevensevensevenneversix

never, ever, never,

stall on forbidden ground.

Count to ten and fall back down again.

Lift your brow,

push it back

clasp miscroscopic pieces,

laid over a tissue paper glance.

paler

paler

paler still

pallet paint ivory

but sometimes burning bright through silt.