Ruby Stars

shattered stars stream through the veins
spiraling from neuron to toe nail
coiling like a DNA caduceus
sparks furrow the brow
haunt the foreign dream

morning comes gray into suburban streets
light flicks a tentative tongue between houses
so we walk imagined footpaths
St Elmo's fire flickering at our fingertips
while asphalt crumbles into faithlessness

well, it's a journey, a surrogate pilgrimage
we cross ruby fault lines, and
electric parallel shadows
while our nerves hum with the birth
of a thousand shattered stars, streaming