52. Notaprayer

52. Notaprayer

He licks each
palm once
and presses
them together
at bedtime.
For luck said
matter of factly
when I ask why.
Startled and unashamed.
This is a Viking move I say.
A casual path
to the gods.

I try this same salt and it
does slide the knuckles
and clench the difficult fist.
My sleep is ferocious:
steeples
lurching
economies
candle
profiteers

In the morning
a perfect red
drop on the porcelain
that I scratch away
with a fingernail.

#weeklypoemandpic