love 16

love cannot be careless 

or thoughtless without feeling

isolated. no. 

the ace of hearts plays off an entire deck

love has a litmus test

sanctified the moment

something given is received

both hearts must turn

red

#katyamills

fence

off my shift. 8am

sleeves rolled up we exchange uplifting words

you thank me for starting a pot of coffee

on my way home sleepy yawning i 

pass a house on MLK

yard littered with wheels and frames

a fence for stolen bikes

this work it keeps me

honest

 

#katyamills

burners blue

the final day 

in May we shambled to town hall 

cold and nine parts gray

to liberate the coffee from 

the crates and gave it 

all away

Main Street turned blue 

burners on

nothing really to do

but have a cup 

and chase our stories out on a single ray

the final day 

of May

#katyamills

green cabbage

it took us all of our years 

to unlock the secrets within 

like green cabbage perfectly cooked

kick up the feet for

life now tastes 

sweet

 

#katyamills

Chinese Camp, CA

dressed in a floral blue
the storekeep at Chinese Camp
she warned us Highway 120 was impassable
due to the mad river


she mapped out a safe passage
we bought an Indian blanket and ice cream
to thank her for her kindness
fed her chickens and goats and headed
south to Mariposa

#katyamills

Sonora, CA

the combination drive and hike wiped us out 

we planned to get up before dawn 

for Yosemite

i popped some tylenol at 3am

told you not to stress

let's sleep in

#katyamills

disappearance

with a face that blocked the entire sun

a voice made of water fallen

she lured you 

up the slippery rocks at her feet

toward the clearing where 

her lofty song thundered 

down

i lashed myself to a beech tree there 

calling yelling shouting

no longer able to see or hear 

so this is how they 

disappear

#katyamills