She had a glimpse
drip from corner of a sudden smile
she caught it
as she would the rain in her mouth

a glimpse
like shadow of a bird that flew by
her eyes tracing wing prints against a cloudless sky

a moment curled its toes on a ledge
splattered over cracked soil of her path

raising dust of oozing wounds under crusted scabs
lips no longer apart

somewhere the sparrows wept

July 2012