Paul collected our exhaled breath
in burlap bags
but refused to state his intention.
I did not think it contained
any ingredient pertinent
to the production of black powder.
He once collected spoken words
from every earthly tongue
placed them in a blender
to create a universal language.
No mattered how he filtered the mix
stale tobacco and garlic
left a sour taste in the mouth when spoken.
Lori suggested carbon capture
to create some airy darkness
that might produce thunder and rain.
copyright © 2022 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 