my earliest memory is of holding up a sparkler
high up to the darkest sky
some 4th of July spectacular
I shook it with an urgency I'll never be able to repeat

at times i might be accused of being painfully nostalgic
but as of late i'm looking forward to the future
thought i've never been much of a planner
throwing caution into the fan
catch as catch as catchers can

and so all you observers in your scrutiny
don't count my scars like tree rings
my jigsaw disposition, it's piecemeal properties
are either smoked or honey cured
by the panic pure