Night falls fast
and sleep buries my eyes

i burst through this scene
reckless, desperate

to save the he and she
him and her, alone

they sit, alone
together, in circle

she has bruised eye
from dad, twice this week

he perfect circle tee shirt
for his perfect circle burns

and the chanting of Jesus
by young preacher boy

seems so out of sensibility
or sensitivity or sense

and they come for the warmth
13, 14, 15 years of age

and the pain keeps coming
but for one day

this day; we stand connected
circles broken only to be reshaped

into a broader circle
and exhaustion takes hold

of my spirit; and i'm just
taking it all in

knowing she might not cut
tonight and he might not

burn tonight; and Jesus
will heal all of us tonight.