Once something closed
around them
like a basket
and there they stayed for a long
long time, falling
in love with the tragic
slats of light across
their faces.

They could see
each other better
now, the world gone
a threat of latticed
volumes past
the reeds.

Even then
they didn’t promise
anything, why
would they have
promised, aren’t
vows meant
for the giant
to hear,
and where was he.