Carey Salerno

Lilac Thieves

Late April, lilacs choke froward air
and after dark you ford the metal threshold
into my cottage with a handful,
thick stems clumping in your fist,

hold them like an offering,
Get over this. They smell so
second chance.


Like drawing straws
I think, picking from your pink
hand stolen lavender blossoms.

I arrange them in a jam jar,
let go and watch a few slouch
umbrella the oak table.

These are actions I love:
pinching thorny, purple branches,
boring into their green ends, finding out where

the spirit starts coming forth.

Carey Salerno

"Lilac Thieves" appears in Shelter(Alice James Books, 2009).

Posted on May 17, 2009 3:40 PM