Particular Words in a Specific Order

here lies an endless desert of dust
dunes of grey shift 
trails off the wings of the white empress moth

her shimmer lights our way, her dust blinds us
we are children in tantrum, clinging
to the leg of our elders like pollen in transit

we are spores still airborne
the portabella kings have taken the damp undergrowth for themselves

we are sweet dew on the underside of the leaf
collecting ourselves for the long drop down

we are krill among whales, necessary and expendable
it is our greatest rebellion to poison ourselves
and find truce in a place that sums to nothing

here, the past is a thing never given up, only giving way

2021