words are starlings in murmuration
they dazzle us
they make us standstill and look up
they place us in a flux of wonder
like quiet prayers 
like hymns unknown
they fly past our ear in hum lines
they cut the night with silver rods
they awake and wait for shadow
they become the tallest flower in the long grass
the beetle bug ascending
the afternoon light slowly spreading 

                                                       across our unmade bed

words preen beauty evermore beautiful
words make elephants tiptoe
they shake dreams from our young feathers
they wake us from winter wings of darkness
they place us in the heart of the storm
they fuse fear with exhilaration
they let us listen to this dusty miraculous universe
words ask us to be present 
and see clouds of sparkle stars
exploding into the waterfall
torrent and hush
spice and smoke
cinnamonhaze
words take us between the lines
words take us to the side and whisper:

‘do you realise
these are 
our diamond days?