Did you hear the one about her teeth?

 

She was looking down a concrete road

towards a mountain towards the sky

when her teeth turned to pebbles in her mouth

then lead fillings coating the tongue

then ash then smoke then her whole body fire

then a single flame then the flicker gone

then just the road just the mountain just the sky.

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Or that one about her cunt?

​

A green swamp steaming

the scaled and slimed life hissing croaking

a sweat choir gossiping between songs

vines for robes moss for robes river for robes

branches a thick webbed robe

and together they sang hallelujah amen

glory be this rain.

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Her hair?

(Nah not the snakes

not the god mane not the lust sunk fangs—)

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the December field

the driest ground fit to feed

no one

the cropless year

the cracked plow

the toolshed a splinter heap

the wind a house sweeper

the dishes flung to glittering blades

the apples wallpaper puree

the bark peeled the trees stripped

the sap pummeled out unleashed

pouring`pouring.

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The wind a time traveler. June now.

The ground butter and sugar.

The crops strong cane curling up up.

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She wakes cackling,

gums a bloody pulse.

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She wakes naked,

fist bloomed inside herself.

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She wakes bald,

throat packed with coconut oil.

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She begs the night to bring a lover, all hands no face.

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Night says yes, child, and her skin thickens,

whole body callus, scalp to toe.

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She begs the night to bring a balm.

​

Night says yes, child, and her eyes are open

faucets, room the smallest sea.

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She begs the night, let her drown,

let her drown drown drown.

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Night says yes, child.

​

She wakes.