Rising in lamplight dying at dawn grim burials in sheds and cellars the rats scuttling through holes and the days following in their tracks exiled here we named the hours since you first forgot to be afraid once departed we became only ourselves with the salt on our tongues and the cold for company so deft in escape so practiced in dying you might have learned from us but each time the easiest trick worked the brandished cross the empty mirror you could not see us our steps upon the stairs and while you stumbled after bats in the garden we climbed quietly from the upstairs window down the drainpipe and through all the parties you never heard what we were saying it was something about desire what we had in common even then in your silence you feared us always winning at the end but do you think nothing lingered past dawn shadowed among the gathered elms do not be mistaken we heard you walking through our dreams we felt death moving between your hands now we are waking early practicing with sunlight now we pass unharmed beneath your terrible star eyes covered hands in our pockets for the rules have always said if you stop believing in us we inherit everything