Bending

I dreamed once of
fire laughing in the sky
the world on end
was bending me
inviting me
You—and that
rightside-up world of yours—
saw me yielding
and did not call me back

stifling a cry in my heart
I laughed
and jumped into the leaning landscape
I swam up the ocean
looked out the sky
I looked back to smile goodby
but you were
bending away from me