falling asleep
grasping pages
soaked
god help her she can’t stop crying

no wonder the days flew yet dragged
floating by like swollen corpses

she hasn’t been herself
since she was twelve
what a fine job they did
they didn’t quite finish her off
with their grooming, quelling
along with doses of candy-coated filth

played with mercilessly
kicked aside when bored
what could a child do
when coaxed then vomited
in the most basic of ways

shriveling not in her nature
death a near choice
somehow too inept to assert or commit
she stuck around

no wonder the spinal was a relief
sagging finally allowed like boots being dragged down by water

she took pictures of herself
to see what they saw
since mirrors lied and reversed fortune
her body soft yet damaged
bearing regally ravages of time
calling in the most basic of ways

awake and pissed off
aching chest
clutching
god help her she can’t stop crying

picking up scraps of letters and shapes
crafting responses
to the cobalt moon
all-consuming flames
take the animal
turning inside out the skin and muscle
leaving wretched refuse
freezing on the sidewalk

children draw chalk circles
then skip merrily away
snowflakes dance over graves
long emptied of flesh
bones dance in winter winds
the moon hides behind icy hills
travelers still seek messages in stars
lovers write about comets and kisses
laborers only see their shabby boots

wolves circle
desolate lands and grey minds
leaping and taking languishing artists
snatching in their powerful jaws
anything resembling good cheer
hope has no place
in the den of winter wolves

he tasted of stale beer
sweet cigars
cheap lipstick

he was part of the throwaway culture
but she had picked him up
placed him in her shopping cart

she wanted to preserve the tack
put intransigence in bronze

she wore polyester proudly
strutted her trophy
throughout smoky lounges

he let himself be captured

she smelled like vanilla
Juicy Fruit gum
and his cigars

she let herself be captured