Long wooden paths
on the sides of empty highway tar
steaming leaf-printed ooze
each twig's diagram
star clusters and painted maps
the forked breathing of earthly acids
dust's shape of my departed brother
with no bronze box for gathering
a halo of rice grains on lion's hair
the rhythm of curving pipes
gushing moonlight's water.

A stem dripping cells
in that crusted chair
mustache for brushes
the yearning of teeth in metal clasps
eyes lit for sculpted eggs
and fresh viscera.