Understory - Wherever We Go

wherever we go the crush of
a foot a trigger a knife to the throat
as the leaves turn to gold bloody below
sinking to a thousand hungers
can this be beautiful?

torn from the tree apples in fall
choking grasses grow so tall
never to rise without fighting them off

hands never clean eyes can't unsee
still hearing the pull of a string
out from the body steaming of breath
into the morning pale as death

no release life is suffering