Gravels

Shingles and grits

were true obstacles that we met

They took the form

of disease with a smiling cheek

They caused distress

and pulled apart our fleshy frames

We walked to the shops to buy our comics

and missed the titans hiding in thickets

We swore an oath

to remove the shingles and grits

Pain fell away

and Night’s clasp was Day-bleached in dreams

Our winning hands

pulled apart chills that raided us

We sat on our skateboards and solved riddles

The pavements were ignited in those days

Gravels in wounds

rose to an apex in the sky

A tense powder

mixed with hot gas in fireworks

The brand new stars

washed us with a healthy solvent

We drew cartoon people in our scrapbooks

and danced as the abyss closed beneath us