snow blows across the road
starchy powder sticks to my coat
not a cloud in the sky
the plumes stay grounded
brilliance rains from a sliver above the horizon
brilliance warms my weary eyes
radiance serves only to blind
radiance is what i hide behind
shifting, waiting, idling with hands stuffed deep into my pockets
i try to give the hungry wind no quarter
it steals the heat from my finger tips
it leaves my hands cracked
i bring the smoldering tinder to my lips
tastes of dad's belt and mom's disappointment
my lungs wheeze out my exaltation
relieved to be separated
wheat from chaff, show me your purpose
purpose in an absurd careless world
goodberry tucked in heart's fortress
keep out the wind and choke out the tortoise
split that seed in twain
split that seed again and again
my head's always empty when i spend my time with you
i musta poured out the weight holding me down
fill up my cup with more than enough
hold that mug in my hands to warm them up
they can't hurt us when we're together here
the writhing masses of dregs kept at bay
the baying hounds, lapdogs to evil in the flesh
i don't need a gun because i have you
and if they ever hurt you
if they ever try to take you away from here
from this warmth we've created
from this love we share
god knows there's not enough wrath in one body
but you know there's only so much i can do
still i'll lie awake with you
always lying awake with you
in the morning we can have coffee
i'll put the pot on and we can watch it drip slowly
i'll bring out a bag of japanese candy
the kind my mom used to get me
sugar sticks to my teeth and stains my tongue purple
or maybe that's just what you left behind
still waiting for you to come by
so i can treat you again
picture your empty eyes
looking back on what's inside
beams of void shining through
looking at the misconstrued
now you're left hanging there
broken foot without a care
eat the pith and shit it out
bitter fiber caused a rout
its claws dig deep into my back
my breath, caught short, stuck in my neck
bring the dry tinder to my lips
drink deeply of its offerings
blood eagle homunculus
lips swollen and tender to the touch
chimera carrion smolders grotesque
tendril whorls dance burlesque
at 15 i kissed sweet leathermouth
his belt-like tongue reached inside my mind
brought me a peace i didn't know to find
i was just 15
i couldn't keep up
i didn't want his touch
but still i was being called back
back to sweet leathermouth
at 21 i couldn't divorce him from my soul
enveloped by sweet tendrils,
i couldn't leave such an embrace
how could you leave such an embrace?
at 23 i wake up with leathermouth
at 23 he ravages me
at 7:15 he's taking me
leathermouth please let me be
that cracked pebbled tongue
a familiar bumpy road rising to make the fall harder
that old reclining sofa feeling
another trick of smoke and mirrors
my head sinks into the pillow as your alarm rings
the stirring of legs under covers
the draping of arms over torsos
held close but i'm still falling
back asleep
it's a waking dream
being here in warm arms
it's your loving scheme
and i never ever wanna leave
shave down my bark again
to get the sweet treat within
rob me of my essence
boil it down to its quintessence
rejoice in my offerings
but cut me down to size
propeller was my birthright
all synecdoche to my eyes
feeling tapped out feeling drained
cut the tar with your spit i remain
when i'm finally long gone
what will become of my sap?
kevin kitty catty-o
sitting on the patio
watching the cars as they go
watching the softly falling snow
sweet orange kitty catter
with the soft kitty pitty-patter
tuck away your kitty claws
pitter-patter on kitty paws
staring down the barrel of the loaded gun i call my future
cold steel tastes fit to rupture
but i'll never choke on what never comes
jester jeering at the promise of tomorrow
tower toppling at the slightest hint of sorrow
still i bite down hard
catch that bullet between my teeth
that's what i say i'll do
pinch that bullet with pearly gates
it's me alone spinning this fate
catch that bullet between my teeth
doctor says it's what i need
never empty the chamber
just feel the burning from beneath the hot seat
empty is the gun i once called my future
dissolve away the medical sutures
entering a world yet made
pimple poppped with fanfare abound
scab scraped down without a sound
still there's something pulsing hard
catch that bullet between my teeth
shatter expectations from beneath
i'll commit to self beyond belief
catch that bullet between my teeth
breathing shudders from the heat
do another trick for the treat