he jumped into the water naked,

the only man-made sound, 

and didn’t come out for hours. he was pickled 

like a radish, he was easy. 


he was thinking about his unhappiness;

he was thinking about the woman he missed.

he made a sound like sighing, but not like a very

sad sigh. he was thinking of his debts. 

he was thinking of his father. he had a chocolate bar 

half melted in his pocket.

 

he climbed across a tree trunk 

with a million insects crawling. he touched the sap,

he scratched his leg. he ran his hands through his hair.

he heard a rustle and looked around, and tensed his mouth, 

and walked ahead. and here I am, a leap away, 

the ground turning cooler, the moon already up, 

all the leaves turning white.