your provenance

"oh let me remember you as you were before you existed"
—Pablo Neruda

I saw you that night on the bluffs
the lantern lit up your legs
your firm tummy your stringy hair

drawing the photons in you were sucking
the light up with each breath
you got so bright
you were gone over the edge

in free fall
dangling in atmosphere

the water caught you
and I heard you
laughing like a china set striking linoleum

Timothy Snediker is made of stars and fingers of whiskey.