the garden snake

I.
the two boys
the garden snake
the sun dried wood
the long stretch
the measure

II.
I remember
on my back my skin
warmth above and below
fading into
suchness
the sun

III.
the one boy
the opened jack knife
the silver blade
(the cutting
the blood)
the dying
the black

IV.
the two boys
the one boy
the fading away
the memory
the warmth

V.
the one boy
the suicide note
the lies the deceit
the denial
the very end

VI.
to be able to go back
to the gray wood
to the moment
to the heat
to get it back

VII.
the snake
the garden
the rising
the rising of the snake
the warmth
the all that was all

VIII.
the heat of the blood
the blood of the sun
on my skin