American Airlines
Madison Yardumian

Buildings exist 
independent of end

I breathe in 
a skyline of squares 
while California breaks

Jutting against edges
fast enough to stop thinking 
fast enough to 
let/go/of--


I exhale

In southern peaks
the land ripples
little droplets 
chisel necklaces
into 
sallow chests


Red eyes watch
states etched in sand
become burden of border 

Everything 
(my whole world)
flown over 

You a dry river bed
me, highway in desert
we carve out space
for ourselves 
etching stories
into each other’s palms

A maze of all I promised
and I’m nowhere

            (can you feel the gold forgetting?)

Tripping over airplanes
in unexpected sky
We engine in a calm
We dark regressive lie