Heart in shallow cave

of hidden desires.

Mind w a n d e r i n g like

impulses entangled in dancing attire.

Under a curved ravine

My ship sails,

Of feet dipped in vexed chakra,

missing entrails of the shallow cave.

In my ears

still e c h o those curvy desires

But these *jinxed eyes*

crave to trade a branded way.

~

~

like

tiny

flecks

of lemon zest

that compliment

a sweet

or

turbinado sugar

sprinkled ’top

a dainty treat;

how starlight

punctuates

the night,

the necklace

to the gown,

the all of me’s

more beautiful

when

I

l

a

y

down

my crown.

I am papier-mache,

Sticky with words,

Covered with paint,

Confetti, and glitter.

Everyone sees

Different pieces.

Brashness. Anger.

Unapologetic attitude.

Book smarts. Memory.

Giggling fits.

Romantic eyes.

Broken back from

All this leaning

Backward I do.

I am papier-mache

With life covering

My tiny reused print.

Obscuring who I am

Using masks and labels

Changed the context.

I am fragmented,

Scarred, and falling apart,

Save a mix of paste

Praying everything stays.

Holding tears back

To stay together,

To last a few more years.

They see strength.

I am slipping quickly.

Sheet by sheet fall,

And I count how many

Layers there are to go

Before I am out, exposed,

Naked, and afraid.

You wait to pounce,

to claw my flesh

until it

flies.

No seconds talk you by,

no mental notes nor

swell gifts,

wish...

For the nights to oscillate,

for the tranquil daze in the dark

playful haze to wash, and erode

this...

...this manic ache, that shrieks-

it has thoughts...

notions of hate-

my parallel realm, and the

twin within it,

a wicked bleeding image of

lies!

At the dawn of death

dare to dive in depths

unseen, unknown in

myths, fables of this,

this demon of sins,

made from some

gorging torment,

so vile! so sick!

I read from the

tablet that dreams,

the prophecy of

a being consumed,

climb the mountains

not yet doomed to

reach his eyes and

see at last what lies

in the celestial beast.

Confusion etched in my expression

Sets deep into my soul

Eyes wide open to the wonder

Questions gather endlessly along

Words grow heavy

Between the silent stretches of imagination

Curved inward.

Attention span-a minute.

Life faithfully lodged into the fabric of existence

From the moment of appearance

Gaze turned up towards the stars

Finding answers is my mission

And for that, I’ll never die.