The smell escaping from the exhaust
of New Hampshire pickup trucks
brought to mind somebody’s breath on some loveless night

smushing our smiles together
when the blood came back to the surface,
swimming upwards warm and full

the absence of whimpers surprised me
sitting on the lowest branch of the sycamore
my insides said nothing to me

I shifted my weight
secretly hoping the limb would crack
and send us tumbling headfirst

I leaned back but you pushed my knee down
I could see your eyebrows ramming together
even through the thick night.