bleeding out
in a fleabag no
tell motel
somewhere west
of abilene
it all was a
blur of frantic
need and cordite
scented kisses
to greet a sunrise
neither of us
expected to see
as the first rays
broke through
the filthy window
and i cradled her
cold body closer

her skin tasted
of sin and salt as
the heavy footsteps
sounded outside
the unlocked door
a last exhalation
as the crystal
turned to brimstone
and she smiled
her eyes set in
acceptance of the
fate we had tried
our damnedest to
bamboozle out of
the just desserts
we felt we certainly
did not deserve even
as we relished each
chance to raise hell

we fired first in
response to their
shouted demands of
surrender and in
the chaos of spent
shells and showers
of filling from the
mattresses taking
the brunt of their
blunt assault i
knew her love danced
in the crazy light
of her unfocused gaze
i longed to run my
tongue along the
tight tendons of her
wrist as she laughed
and pulled the trigger
but the first shot
took me through
the cheek as little
bursts of red mist
fluttered from her
half dressed body

sirens scream but
the sound grows farther
away as she nestles
closer with a grimace
fading into a smile
bathed in crimson
as the golden light
fights the red dust
to pierce the clouds
of drywall dust and
acrid ozone from the
sparking television
i lift her chin gently
and the smile that
cracks the blood mask
shames the sunlight
our lips touch and
our blood and final
breaths intermingle
two empty shells
bled out in a no
tell motel at the edge
of nowhere their souls
sending ripples across
the surface of forever