Birthstone A garland of mortician’s rubies hangs Itself, drooping Over now marred, once Porcelain skin Does anyone else hold themselves up like rubies? Birth stone rare Collecting each moment like it could gleam off the titrates of my once-too-there Collarbones. The collarbones drive you away, The collarbones caved inwards until you, at last, completely Stared there. At least I have a garland of rare, As I’m shouting at the black hole that is depression, or a set of dampened stairs. Slicked shouting at the stars to marry me – stone cold soberly, Notes tinged with once almost vertical sunsets, The … Continue reading Poetry by Leslie Cairns