“A sponge of purple ink / weighted with bitter taste, / give away for free—give / away without even // a second thought—what you / think, and loss…”

“My shadow was moving on / its own to a neon kingdom lying / long-faced beyond my throne, sunbathing in / pastel bones Kodachromed by // unseen hands an…”

“His pain isn’t even everything / I don’t want to have to deface, not now, / or tomorrow. Three slowing hands strangling / angular ages less angelic, less…”

“Hard to pick a side, torn / ligaments of indecisiveness mingling pain with / pride between the hand and the / mind, spinal cord’s tangled by choking / choruses…”

“Tangled embrace of satyrs waking, / naked testimony of scars like / ancient cuneiform baked into that / bed’s aching tablet of flesh, that sweat- / fertile patch of chest…”