2

the roof cascaded
tar and pinestraw, rusty nails;

the shutter clicked.

we'd found the place trespassing
just enough.
our ruin, our discovery
as though there were no brown and mouldered mattresses,
no beer cans, no grafitti.
unsafe safe place
all to us:

and there was I the lizard queen,
that yellow dress unzipped down to my waist.
chin up
-- the exit sign unhinged --
I donned the mask
and stood as you directed;

the shutter clicked.

we listened, hoping (not) to be discovered,
we laughed when the mask fell.
we framed each other through the shattered windows
once upon a time,
creating fairy tales,
in love with our own daring.