Foreign ghost around the counter
Forcing foreign blood from his mouth
As we bash the bearded boy with leather tethered together
Today holds perfect weather

My knees bleed a different blood every time I fall
Remembering that each turn takes an inch away from how tall
I appear to our God
Penance is an afterthought when I'm shedding skin on strangers beds

Slashes in my palms
I imagine them saying
I Love You
The way he never did

Slashes on palms
I press them to my face and watch the luminescent red devour me
As I drown in platelets and plasma

He never wanted anything like this