Black soot
Shrivelled up Cadbury
wrapper eyes
You were not my antidote
You turned a balanced

happy
friendly
spice 'n' all things nice girl
into a hermit with
bloodied fingers, a
self-destructive narcissist
(or did you just
coax her out of her shell)
well

I quit on you
the ****** is the **** spoon
your prose the lighter
your hips the dealer
my heart the coffin.

I cried
I cry
I will cry
Over your constellation swamps
Housing crocodiles
Water-borne diseases
and piranhas
I am naive;
I think my youth protects me.

My youth enslaves me.
Binds me in paper chains.