To Karin: A Plain Beyond the City

Coal-brown smoke smudged lightly with hesitant fingers into the wet grey sky at the edges, a yellowing of dried grass scattered with copper berries fallen from their vines, a leaf spinning crazily on a breeze, a tentative parting of fingertips and a face turned slightly from mine – a profile obscured by dark hair – and eyes scan and count the pylons for something to do. The match flares, hissing in the silence, and a cigarette is shared quietly to still the noise inside over this, our goodbye