Floating Shelves

John Harkey

flat light listing across 
no-place / we scrap
the atmosphere / ask
for floating shelves / & living
arrangements —

 

 

 

 

we turn back / look out
seems some holding pattern’s
been wrung or shaken / these 
will never be shared
shards / until we paper over 
each felt wound —

 

 

 

 

such flecks / & homemade hinges
don’t groan / they whisper
or mutter / they hum
small tunes when
we lurk / lean in
closer —

 

 

 

note which matted forms / leak
or turn plural / the weather we
wash against / well-worn
outcroppings flicker / every
half-thought moving
& free / to move —

 

 

 

 

strings plucked along
feathered edges / so the bottom 
fell out / fine / depth
is overrated / texture’s better
we say —

 

 

 

 

any second / mercy
may we / echo a stone
sleep / or dreamy dirt
ellipses / keeping time
aloft / ours —