i once was somebodies pretty

wore neroi and rose absolute. season of pearls and cashmere, cinnamon in the brandy

crumbling under his touch, fingers between my legs I quivered

wanted more

sweeter than honey spun baklava

i believed

the sun went down in october

by late winter i was a heathen

the winds howled, sounded like war

i could relate

now I walk the streets of china town

and try to kick the mean reds

the ocean pulls back and it is too far to wade in the water

i sit on granite and line up bullwhip, circular stones

waterlogged feather for a flag

my home

i forget my tongues, tossing the family name into the fire pit-moving on

forked lightening

there is sacrifice in the ferns

where lacking wings i crawl

he wanted to meet the whore in me then make her disappear me disappear

good bye

til I am at the kitchen table looking at grocery ads

no wonder i will leave you

driving

through