we ran away to the circus 

in hopes no one would see us.

on the way there, the sailboat we borrowed drifted off

(we’d thought maybe that could be our act)

half of her heart was stowed away 

and the two of us sat stranded on a beach.

no one heard us 

and soon she was burying her words,

choking them under mounds of sand. 

my mind struggled to connect the

dancing in soft lighting version,

the one that kissed me softly behind the door, 

with this crazed delirium

whose fingers were bloodied from scratching at sand.

time became a double mirror

sending visions of our strong armies

marching (to defend) to each other 

but they were simply mirages.

soon my fingers were coated in red, too

and to think we were headed for the circus.