i like an animal

licking its wounds

hold my attachments near

their multitudinous ****

once comforting

now a spin cycle of teeth

i a lover of harsh truths

meet a killing blow and

reach beyond for

i have lain with devils

and lived to tell

the tale

i am

the owner of

my compromise

and its sole beneficiary

they say

but i know better

i am the hundredth monkey

be full

i whisper…