You as Canyon

You As Canyon

Poem by Rose Hunter
Photo by Daniel Romo

And along the river that drop with no railing
and think how there are so many of them
balconies without bannisters
and footpaths along precipices
and holes in the street; from that point of view
not a safe place to be drunk
which is why we all are
on cobblestones and steps with crumbling
tongues: remember: your fear
of such things made me fearless
because I wanted to show you the world
is not as frightening as you think
I wanted to demonstrate
not the precipice, but the gorge

which means: we do not stumble
but plunge fully into –
hand in hand violet sky

which is right there, muted; the bear park
(I saw its lights) and knew it was you
because I needed to know it wasn’t
that other guy (the one with your shirt); you
have many doppelgängers and fake twins
they assail me in the street
how many people look like you
the pizza delivery, tequila salesman
canopy tour guy…. Best walk on the road
the gravel from passing trucks
is real as shard, sparking over the edge
disappearing into you.


-refers from the phrase “in one small chip” from  Bud Caywood’s poem Shard