out and back

thrusting painted face
white stripes and bones crowning ears
necklace of teeth bound with braided hairs

waving arms he parted the air
as if light was curtains
sky poured like water

he pushed me through the opening
I yelped like a puppy
he pressed fern leaves to my mouth

sealed my voice inside me
put his hand on my chest over my heart
coiling my fear along his arm

we held hands as he leapt up
expecting to grow feathers
from hair follicles

for less than a second we left behind asphalt
and for less than a second I understood
the full price of getting from here to there