Text

health has
slipped from
my grasp
slippery and
elusive

it hides amongst
the flowers
sleeping in their
mossy beds
i try to reach
for it but am
pricked with
a spindly thorn
a single drop of
blood - black -
falls onto the
shimmering
white petals

i turn my back
to them and
take my thumb
into my mouth
carefully licking
away all evidence
then i go back

health shines
glittering white
smiles up at me
i reach again and
when i touch it
the light goes out
the sun turns black
and it melts in
my grasp
it chars the
flesh of my hand
and my mouth opens
in an o
'oh'

in the dark
light i can
see the gleam of
blood
from the window
it paints the
walls and
drips
down
steadily
i want to taste
that blood
take it into
my mouth and
savor
the metal wire
flavor

it beckons to
me and i come
like a good
girl
my hand hurts
it throbs steadily
a black mess

when i touch the
window it breaks
underneath my
touch
the slivers
of glass pierce
my burnt
hand and my wrist
a silver rain

i lie amongst
the glass and i
can feel it digging
into the back of
my arms
and legs
spindly pale

the black
sun
gives off
a radioactive
glow and i can
feel it
poisoning me

i take off
my mask so
i can breathe
its porcelain
and it looks
exactly like
my
lips painted red
and blushing
cheeks

breathe
steady in and
out
it hurts
it hurts
steady in and
out

the flowers
have died
their petals
lie in limp
drifts
underneath the
shriveled
leaves

i killed them
the fear
inside of
my
took them out
in one garish
red breath

feel my collar
bones
everything is all
right
yes, it is

close my eyes
breathe
taste the blood
in my mouth

everything is
all right