Burning.
Left unsaid, unknown, paper paving the way,
snatches of tragedy and truces melding into cobblestone,
rain pelts the hearts in each word, souls screaming with cold, with want, haunted.
The words, oh the words, they carried a small girl across an ocean,
they saw her through tempests and temptation of dirty red scars,
oozing, bruising, a cataclysmic wave washes away the purity, washes away the disgust,
no longer clean but human, with human wants and human selfishness,
just hold on and don’t let go, don’t not believe, hope, want, steal,
greed should not be repressed it should be indulged,
a greedy man is warm in winter because he took the fire, he burns, he’s bright,
coal condescending those without the gumption to take it home,
At least buy me dinner first they monotone, making mad, making bad.
Why, why does everything slip like silk,
fingers textured but not gripping, slide in ice of regret, no traction, nothing at all,
it has never been smooth, unworn,
life has treated you like sandpaper, you can hold on, don’t let go,
all your life you have compromised, accommodating, settling,
want scorching insides, stirring the thick soup of hot tears and trembling fists,
doe, you are a doe, stop trembling and stand tall,
sun makes patterns in browning fur, white giving way to hard keratin,
wind through the trees faster than wind, arrive in a glade, come home,
don’t be afraid of the hunter and his rifle; he will miss and you will run faster than he could, can.
Nestle into a hollow and become one with stone and let moss cover your scars,
let blooms fall onto your soft head,
be greedy for beauty, for reprieve, for retribution,
you have given and given and given, now take, take the life you want,
seize it by the throat and kiss it gently, softly, safely,
you will learn to love again, you will learn to sing again, you will learn again,
scars full of moss and metamorphosis, unfolding paper wings with words of healing,
doe eyes giving way to you, just you, you are you, not a doe, not a girl, just you,
wait no longer, with hands full of wanton regret,
Fill yourself with greed and greet the world anew.
