The yellow rise in my eyes
the hull in my cheeks
the dusk in my breath
am I but human

the sallow mist in my veins
the tawny thing I knew
the battered bird flown
to where it became free

grit behind the lids of lisping tongues
rabid groves of frightened limbs
wrenched from the pulse of earth itself
kindness bore its crooked snigger mouth
bend on wire and turf crumpled hay
its hooves turned broad as lamplight frozen

thing
do you
know
my name?