the road to dream is knotted
tangled          never broken
early mornings Santa Clarita

studio beneath setting moon
we talked     bright futures
in film reel and photograph

just two in a crowd afraid
of its own shadows        of
stepping out into the light

and not being recognized
       yes we have gone our
separate ways              love

and heartbreak heartbreak
and love     cardinal singing
an evening song to lull us

back to valley open full
with ink quill and camera
and old dreams to dream of

(originally published in Agony Opera, Summer 2021)