Red

I lie with trees

And War Gods blight my veins.

There's a tell in this

marbling;

A vein of truth.

I tried,

but there are, honestly,

no

fucks—left to give

in the darkness of days.

I lie with trees

And Morpheus persists.

Eyes bright berries, but

the woodpecker has come

for insects beneath my flesh. (He inspects.)

I tried,

but there is . . .

Only

This—