he didn't tell you
to put that ring on
but he might as well have
when the invoice was done

kept a smile
through that
tornado
of impatient
anger
and said
"please,
come again"
you wild
bag of wind

its a violent thing
love being blown apart
to only later
be remembered
like an overly friendly
stranger

she thought he grasped
every atom inside of her
so gently
that surely she would break


                 p                               r
                                  
     a                                     
                                   a
                                                                           t

but he kept her all together

one day,
if you think
to find me
i will not be

on the seventh day
the butterfly wing pages
covered in holy script
would wrap around
an insidious tongues sermon
pressing her heart to confess
to dark watchful eyes
its ungodly shape

fingernail made moons
bled her supplication
colored the pale, deaf air
with a desperate repentance
too garish and late
for them to ever deem her
worthy of being saved

along her raw fragile skin
temptations filth still crawled
sin too scarlet to be washed
to pay forgiveness' price
her body was to be tithed
the crimson covered over after
by her favorite wool white
Sunday Best dress