Youth

Youth is
         not mouths, words.

Youth is
         eyes
               searching through spaces between clouds
         connecting to brain
               wondering at cool raindrop eruptions on skin
         connecting to spine
               curving into damp backyard softness
         connecting to legs arms muscles fibers
               itching to run move breathe sweat
         before
               every bone joint hollow space

                           fills with the ticking of
                           pale-faced clocks

         and
                  rigid hands drag, unforgiving
                      toward

                           cold perspiration
                           on treadmill machines.