the dead deer we saw
on the way to your place,
brain knitted wet outside
its chest, once lighthouse
twice blooded, pulse instinct.
a body shot out of its head
quarters. every car’s a fan tonight,
slowing to watch a heartbeat unheat itself.
who do we rot back to? steel
aluminum stare, ants crawling
the iced unblinking. the radio’s playing
a song about getting undressed.
wanting someone down to the breast
bone. & the vultures dancing halos
at the head, wingwritten crown,
a five second Jesus. & then it’s gone,
you’re driving so fast it breadcrumbs
the memory. when you say shut up i shut
up. to die in front of everybody.
a tomorrow with no tonight.