Breathing out

Breathing Out

I don’t know if I’m 46 or 45

For the first time, I forgot

     Finally, half way through my life

All there is is breathing out

Not like writing last year’s date

In the opening days of year

     Appearing on an empty plate

All there is is breathing out

Breathing in is not the same when

Bones are speaking in a tongue

     Neuroscientists defining sin

All there is is breathing out

Wise but ugly, with gaping sighs

Mountain gorillas carried on their backs

     Surrounded by le mort and time

All there is is breathing out

Measuring worth with gushing speed

Volcanic lurid late night chat

     Exactly when, how long, how deep

All there is is breathing out

The comedian bows into laughs

Her favorite jokes are winding down

     All mountains strewn with trash

All there is is breathing out

Shifts go late and hard at work

Since boyhood scared of touching fire

     Wrecking daytime with a fork

All there is is breathing out

Our bones fuse in a dimming light

Exhale what I have not touched

    Squeeze your ass into the night 

All there is is breathing out

Is it forty-six or forty-five?

For the first time, a lost count

     But I’m not arguing this time

All there is is breathing out