That was unscarred night.
The full moon was rising.
A contagium had spurred it to go high.

A brazen assault bleeds
the painter's eyes. He sees only
red in the pubescent rage.

She walks out of the stain,
turning into ash, urchin's
brightest moon.

Standing on the crossroads
who was burning clouds?
Rains will never come again.

Phylogeny flattens the guns.
We were hiding behind the
rituals watching the fall of light.

I will make my own truce
with death. I refuse to walk
under the belly of smoke.

Satish Verma