carolina turtledoves

in the autumn breeze that steals

a memory from the soul

and refuses for the wound left to heal

wind and leaves carry me, fold

the outer corners of

myself in and tuck them away,

my lost child's love

has nothing more to say.

like a bird's futile attempt at flight

(it's not their first time,

they've grown overnight)

i failed to liberate what was mine,

had it even deserved to be tried

for you merely cannot save

what was pre-destined to die

and be buried in the star's grave.