asterism
after the star
trailed off
as if fated
or at-odds
w/the tales
all these dots
had formed
I find myself
stalled at
the railing
fattening up
on the soon-
to-die light
that leads
first into
the fields
or the forests
then later
(lied about
if any of it
is to last)—
the rafters
inhabitants
this is why they
won’t allow us
to throw our hats
onto the bed
or eat dinner
on our own
our hands all
but these hearts
the windows more
me than anyone
or even say who it
was we’d rerouted
led out from this
shadowed wall
& nearly thawed
in the wood-heat
red to our eyes
with the wonder
a feeling here down
where the wind’s at
we won’t ever be
worthy of this house
Mark DeCarteret has appeared next to Charles Bukowski in a lo-fi fold out, Pope John Paul II in a high test collection of Catholic poetry, Billy Collins in an Italian fashion coffee table book, and Mary Oliver in a 3785 page pirated anthology.