taking turns
silent sips
from a flask
holding
liquid eternity
or
it
could
have
been
ether
right after
air and earth
fire and water
plastic birds
do you care
much
about these things
do you
care much
about time
where would you go
what would you do
who would you meet
how would you know
or are you
happy
where you are
riveted
to a wooden
strip
pretending
to sip
from a flask
holding
solid captivity
plastic birds
tell me
how it tastes
this invisible
unending
element
you intake
does it
fill
your stomach
does it
quench
your thirst
tell me
plastic birds
are you
really sipping
or
do you need
to do
what you do
every passing minute
to look
at your reflection
reflecting
how you have
changed
how you have
remained the same
tell me
plastic birds
are you
here
by choice
or
were you captured
mid-flight
unaware
young
scared
uncertain
and
nailed down
against your wishes
plastic birds
tell me
here,
do you choose
to be
because
you are
two of a kind
different
from the rest
impossible
elsewhere
to find
a third
not even
remotely alike
do you
stay here
because
of the other
graciously
taking turns
allowing the other
before yourself
to take
silent sips
from a flask
holding
comforting intimacy
or
could
it
be
just
could
you
just
be
here
because of ether
right after
air and earth
fire and water
