nikko

room, to dream

big snooze

like dormouse

curled

prehensile tail

tale older than braille

tale older than crucifix nails

’never get better

IF

you never leave the house’

there’s only so many summers

a billion blessings

outside

like petals

straight edge

no meds

some regrets

though, they sting less

outside

’til the sun sets

jaguar in a pool

cool off

spots melt into blue

outside

answer to

what’s next

can’t be found

in a web order dna test

might be

in the canopy

amongst singsong

eggs

and nests

there’s only so many summers

brambles

with berries

different colours

different days

lady duck brigade

beaks tucked

in the shade

chillin’

walking around water

thinking how messed up angling is

a fish, going about their daily business

stabbed in the lip

a land-walker gurning on an iPhone snap

with their catch

watch it squirm

watch it flap

struggle to breathe

scar it mentally

then set it free

don’t believe

in the internet

or

ready

set

credit score

or gender wars

or voting

or a career

or none of that

low-frequency

nonsense

no more

outside

there’s only so many summers.