would say, as of late, i’m a bat

wings doming fur
and face,

cozy,
contained,

tender
as distant,

at rest.. one of many
pitted knots

on wood panel wall
in musty hut,

murmurs of
fears

of fangs and
disease

presumed in we that
light won’t
reach.

rush empty
now-

everyone
out

of spun web
mouth,

on fog breath
routes,

reflection’s
grey..

frostbitten
teeth

latch coward
needs

gums bled to
drought

don’t reach
for me

no matter
depth,

not of my
head-

the genie’s
out.

these bloodless
fingers

tap cinders from
unlit cigar,

smog billows
within,

the
char of
black tea breath

on skim milk
skin,

bathwater swirls,
i clutch at
pearls

like
stars liquify
once peeled from eyes..

do sting
in warning winds.

rock, paper swan tongue slithers
into folding legs
of scissors

silver blinding hordes
in corners

numbed by grind of
mind traps
mice..

arch and writhe selves
out of vice.

Window Seat

knees drawn
into locked position

glance out glass
through paint on sneer

between
digesting sighs

i make eye contact
with every
passing
deer

in
disgust
of my disguise.

shad flies storming
skull flag
cabin

spy them orbit crumbs
now bone

just winks before mum
quilted over

door
to summer

scabbed on roof
of mind-

dreams of luna
in my
lap

enshrined.