a breeze surrounds the temple
complicated by the august sun
inside the sounds play simple
like a scratch with a velvet glove.

and crowded leaves shake chattered teeth
the trees--they dance--with green fingers, but no hands
as they invite the heavy sunlight
for the glace of clouds from foreign lands

the birds howl and scream
one above the other
their cacophony symphony
my attention their conductor

but something triggered a gun with no finger
an explosion before pulling the pin
the casualty was only me
given a sentence but charged with no sins

as time pulls its weight
with an arm but no legs
and stares down the watch upon its cuff
you can beg forgiveness all you want
but it'll never be enough.