we hear the sound of breaking bones and
stones riveting the consonants we
swallowed into daisy chains—

   do not
say
that single word
   while it cradles itself — angry frightened
child — and walks on tightropes   suicidal
do you hear it
do you hear it
do you hear it


the city lights swallowed themselves whole 
many long long years ago and in the forest
you can hear it tiptoe from the branches in 
the canopies      do you hear it   will you hear

when its bones break at its knees

?