illustrated in ink her dark hearts tales all told all but one his visage haunts her every breath her bronzed skin the inked pallet upon which i lay the foundations of this dream like a golden chalice laid upon a roughian's hand wet lips pause round the more difficult things like things she would never wish to say as she weighs them carefully on her pierced tongue dry eyes as she weighs implications on her unadorned mind find her soft hand and unleash my aloneness on it gently she smiles a quick vulnerable smile i reassure with strength she looks up into my eyes with doe in headlights love look we draw images of ourselves for others to dream upon we draw images of what others tell us we are end of the day its alone in that mirror of your own closed eyes that you must measure you must pass or fail