Wings

A tender heart is always broken
she said
as I traced the yellow line
climbing the ridge towards the sky that was falling

Below she watched a trail
broken in places
a distinct and foreign cut in the ridge
falling in the gulch and gone

I recalled the lake
as it sat a year before
a long twisted labyrinth of layered rock
each a different age

I stood on the last standing stone
at waters edge
in the mouth of Black Canyon
where the walls are green

But now the road was newly paved
the hills a little
less forgiving

A tender heart
she started again
But I wasn’t listening
the shattered sky
a million faces
each seemed to know

And we stopped on the concrete hill
that sloped steeply toward the murky green
Beside
a swollen swimming hole
Life Guard Off Duty
Swim at your own risk

A group of Crows
each a different age
flailed in the water
their cries shrill and obscene

A young boy stood on the last standing stone
his arms outspread as wings
eyes black, unblinking
stone

And he dove silently to the deep
arms outspread
catching the light
filtering below.