first
the demon slept
haunted
by hearts broken
trampled into
hope’s last refrain
unrestrained by the
ignominious stain
spread across him
an itchy disomforter
intentionally
threadbare
crafted carefully in
a vacant mother’s
adoring disdain

now
unable to calm
the pounding
creakingleaking
valves so close
to rupture
in the rapturous
haze of incremental
temperature as
the blood boils
a crimson steam
dripping in
halfcoagulated
hoarfrost delirium

one last ode
to insidious dissent
spat sourly as
the world shudders
at a mockery
given papery flesh
leaking ink from
self inflicted delusion
shakingquakingwheezing
a lowly lost vessel
taking on more brine
than the thimble
the gods gave me
in lieu of a soul
can ever dream
of displacing