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 k** the word.
can they finish the template without kissing on contact,
without spelling out subtext?
we sleep a call to arms.