It was a hot day in mid July heat;
the city in decay, its asphalt melt’d–
hurry-hurry said my feet in a beat.
In mid July city heat, she depart’d

Still, the cicadas kept on buzzing, and
the city kept on living–the city nev’r
stops living–while the hot sun always lend
its rays: on this day, she left forever.

But she wasn’t the only one who left–this time
not on life’s watch, this time she really went.
This goodbye was the most sour lime–
the most sour fruit life has fed me! This meant:

when one leaves the world, other trips have start’d
when love leaves you, so Dearly Depart’d!

Not long have I been part of love’s voyage—
Young Sailor’s journey to a distant land;
Oh I’ve reached places and seen my mirage,
A Stranger who built me castles on sand:

Ample structures, yet falsely lingering
Upon which sand frail, they would always sink,
Upon which the Stranger kept on building
The castles which crumbled in an eye’s blink

But the time of the Stranger is long past
And now only me—I can  play my part,
Pillowed on her, while Spring snow’s falling fast,
Listening, to my sweet love’s tender heart.

Still gently nestled, longing for a kiss,
Frankly smiling, while in eternal bliss.

Faces. That’s all I could see.
All of them, lined in a row;
hungry eyes and hungrier mouths.

One stab and I was open,
two stabs and I was empty.
Soon naked–skinned.

The pain stopped, but it still hurt.
Placed ‘pon a plate.
All was a blur but I could see–

See the face consuming me.
Hungry eyes, stuffed mouth.