The etiquette of the wild

The etiquette of the wild

***
behind a splitting glass
a heart has failed
to send a code
of class and style,
entangled in a chaos,
the meaningful
has turned to noise,
the wit –
into sarcastic gibes
you whispered
in a soothing voice:
‘so?
what is it that you want?’

behind a splitting glass
after hours of flicker
the oil has burned out
dancing shadows
have faded along
serious now
I echoed your words:
‘so,
what is it that I want?’

behind a splitting glass
sprouts to ashes
riverbeds to red
illuminating
with a soothing voice
again
‘amusement’s gone,
my dear’
you passed a sentence
upon us

behind a splitting glass
the heart’s dreams –
silenced ghosts now
don’t we reap what we sow?
a mirthful flock
those thoughts of mine
dive in the foreign skies
– your eyes
did they shine?
the etiquette of the wild
as you sneered: ‘ha!
I knew it would end so –
I knew it all along’

***