I remember you. Emerging out of the blackest of nights.

With nothing but a blacker eye

The night swirling about you in curly wisps

Helpless and distraught

All I wanted was to protect you

As if you were a little furry creature,

Curling up in my palms

And I could feel your heart

beat madly within your tiny ribcage

I frantically hummed a familiar refrain

To soothe you

But all that came out was a feverish sigh

Carried over from a previous birth, perhaps

And my caresses died one by one on your cold skin

We walked, not talking though

not joining the happy chorus of the cicadas.

We trod upon the cold, secretive empires of the roaches

and ran our palms over the godless universe of the lizards

We walked into the dawn

until daylight simmered like a distasteful broth

above our heads