Last Smoke

Last Smoke
A Poem by Tess Klingele

"Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return"

Ash crumples in my fist

I stomp out the flicker of red that sparks from the end of my mouth tail*

That once hung like a panting tongue from my lips,

Pressed so tightly between my teeth it wore too thin

So that inhale I could not

so I let it fall

fall

   fall
     
          fall
     
                fall from my mouth like a deflated balloon,

purpose used up, no longer needed

but now I, I have gone too far

and my lungs collapse within me

and I collapse on the ground

as the ash collapses from its perfect mountain in my hand

and I am dust

once more.

*mouth- tail refers to the way a cigaret hangs from ones mouth.