AvaClaire

5:30 a.m.

No one is here

Only me and my dad

In the truck

Ice like veins on the windshield

A frozen vignette in the morning

The houses lay dead beside the road 

Pity

Tilda rowed a paper boat
into the deep and endless sea
with a tangerine hat and blueberry coat,
but at least the trip was free.

She folded the newspaper to make the boat,
lining the bottom and sides with tape

I didn't feel 
anything about the
tree
until I lost it 
til the bark cracked
like glow sticks at dusk
and the cherry blossoms
smeared over the axe
like stickers on my cheek
the dew still holding to the leaves

The crystal dog
likes it when I take his
collar off
when the maple trees line
like soldiers
tall and frozen 
leading to a 
distant memory
Where the crystal dog
has sparks in his eyes

There is a
single golden
swan
who stands
apart
in the pond
the others
circle 
with quiet
grace
so soundless
I feel like screaming
just to know it is
real
Haste sits
with crossed-arms