New On Old

My brother demolishes
our childhood home
new on old, new on old
hammer sounds
rip the memories apart,
tear your cells out of that ruin
with every
levered brick.

Caved-in certainties,
his lips pressed tight together
as he eclipses you.

A scattered pack of cards,
dog-eared spades, missing hearts,
your fist’s clubs. They say
diamonds are made
from heat and pressure,
otherwise they’d be
combustible coal.

Got twisted by your love,
both of us, torn apart
made stronger by hurt,
you card shark,
still playing.