A blanket of exuberance
has been unexpectedly
ripped out
of my eye sockets

Through the initial bleeding
only blurs are visualized,
but time moves
and I can see

Everything around is ugly
and dark and smelly.
Bullshitters cannot even
bother to whisper-

so I hear their
inflated words and gossip
and lies. They look
okay-

but it’s not that.
They are disgusting
and ugly
and evil.

Though direct confrontation
between them and I
never occurs
their talons scar my presence.

They throw a different
blanket into me, covering
my perceptions and
numbing me

They bring me down
until I can feel
the worms under my skin-
until I’m just as ugly.