if the stones were waitin

i stood at the edge
of a cliff
or a dream
or maybe it was just
a place to fall
my mind built
for itself

wind pulled at my clothes
moonlight bled 
across broken stone
where the ravine 
split the earth
clean to the bone
and darkness gathered 
between its walls
swallowin the stars

I could feel him pacin
long strides in my mind
feet wearin a path 
thru my thoughts
fingers draggin 
across old scars
checkin the locks
hopin one might break open

jagged rock waited below
pale under the moon
cold faces turned upward
gatherin silver
in their cracks

so I stepped

and the night split open
round my body
air clawed past
stealin breath
from my lungs
pullin tears
from my eyes
before I even knew 
I was cryin

the monster went quiet

and for the first time
in longer than I could remember
there was nothin
but the wind
and the earth
rushin up to meet me

the world collapsed
darkness foldin inward
stone and shadow
runnin together
treelines dissolvin 
into black watercolor
as stars blurred into wounds
ripped across the sky

and somewhere between
gravity and impact
your name broke
thru the silence
settlin in that stubborn piece of meat
still beatin itself
against my ribs

i saw your smile
crooked on one side 
light caught
in your eyes
heavy with sleep
art climbin your arms
to kiss your throat 
and my fingerprints
destined to fade
from your skin

and goddamnit…
that hurt worse
than the fall
knowin i would become
another absence 
you carried

that somethin inside you will shift
stop you mid sentence 
for no reason at all
your chest will go hollow
your pulse will stumble
against itself
and you’ll feel it
before you really know

and all i carried
as the earth rose
all broken teeth
and ancient stone
while the dark opened wide
to gather what remained of me
was the image of you
somewhere above me
still reachin thru the dark