quiet
mouths speak in quiet codes of the contagious headaches
that sent them home to empty tombs (or parents beds) with flashcards
to memorize their wounds.
a quiet dance with quiet steps transpired in the ambulance.
crossing out the first five letters in “discomfort” still can’t kill the word.
can they finish the template without kissing on contact,
without spelling out subtext?
we sleep a call to arms.