We’re quiet,
feeding the fire
of shy curiosity.

I notice your hand comes to rest
on the round, wooden tabletop
and mine flinches
in response.

If only I could allow it to
fold over yours,
let our fingers intertwine and
our palms discuss
how sweet this feels.

Your eyes meet with mine,
glazed over, glacial, blue,
dousing the flames with
icy indifference.

Play it cool.

I look around,
muttering a lie.
Time to leave,

before my heart grows too fond.

Low on life,
I’ll pull you in.
I’ll breathe your breath.
I’ll warm your skin.
Drunk on love,
I’ll drink you in.
I’ll hold you close.
I’ll be your sin.

They say to play with words.
I see each page is a slide and we
smile
          while
                    we're
                              going
                                        down.

We're make-shift,
Doctor Frankenstein,
            piecing               together
words                  that
             would             lay lifeless
without our spark.

We're other people, dress-up,
with our lens-less glasses,
pens in hands
that can't quite reach the tallest shelf.


Through our words we rebel,
show the world we are more than naïve.
Just because we don’t think
in refunds and rebates and 401k plans...
Doesn’t mean our futures won’t be bright if


we only hope to gain
a sense of ourselves, in that
moment when the tire-swing
goes so high, you try
to touch the sun.

This cold seeps into my bones.
These war-worn bones...
these putrid bones.
Hold me up,
the puppet I am,
so willing and eager to take your hand.
I’ll kiss you with my painted lips.
I’ll press to you my plastic hips.
My button eyes will steal your fire and soon
I’ll be what you desire.
I’ll let you feel my woven hair and soon
you’ll need me more than air.
Don’t
play with me like
I’m your toy,
then
simply leave me
lying there.