XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV & XXV
Benjamin Winkler

XXI.

clamskin     raise     nakesweat
raise     the body     for     found
self     bedlinen     birthstain

sheet     we wrap     as
scroll     haptic     fingers
bloodied     mouth sore

with sleep     we carry
body     down     spitcreek
lay rest     newl mud     green



XXII.

lay     ourn bodies     down
to weed     lay     ourn bodies
unto     unto     this like

the end     of days
a stoln liquor     nicked
cigarette     beginning

nakesweat     and still
shy     about     the self
still shy     to say     to



XXIII.

a sorching air     heat     clamskin
raise     nakesweat     raise
ourn backs     press     to dry dirt

shirts     hung     like a flag
surrender we     unto     parchearth
dead grass     as knives     in back

here we     couple     again
again     knees fore     to aft
left outline     dirt     halo head



XXIV.

the same     we     draw down
birthstain sheet     nakesweat
left halo     where head

had been     here     we couple
again     again     knees bent
fore to aft     we reach     still

hands     for glass     in water
aspirin     dissolved     still
we reach     ournselve     begin



XXV.

still     the breath     how see
in morn     how see     splintpine
cracked     root from rib

ourn hands     haptic     found
columnar spine     touch breast
here     mouth sore

with sleep     could kiss     we bury
selve at     rooted     how
still     could count     ring rib






Benjamin Winkler lives and writes in Philadelphia, PA. His work had appeared or is forthcoming in Makeout Creek, RHINO, and eccolinguistics, among other journals. Find him online at benjaminwinkler.com.