gloves-off, she
leans on her back foot
moves fast and hides tired eyes
behind a battle-blue arm  

from a punch-bloodied mouth
she spills and spits words out on canvas
makes way for cool air- tries to
pacify lungs before they explode, calm
a heart that longs to rebel

she needs to feel loved, but can
be understood only by tracing braille-like-trauma
on her Vaseline skin-
and if she’s not out for the count
she doesn't keep still

Delicate feather very light.
You were swept,
By the tall waves.
A dove settles,
Yes, I stayed with you.
This togetherness,
The love,
Too heavy,
As we sink into the Indian Ocean.
Drowning but too afraid
to leave one another,
I thought.
Until you make me slip.
You raise above the sea, safe
And you leave me to drown.

A demon divorced me from my bed
She’s comfortable
And I’m on the floor.
With a bat.
So she doesn’t think of getting close
That she-devil trying to pose the angel
But I get a restraining order for my fears
From the things a imagine
I’m telling you she’s real
Don’t put another diagnoses page
Not another hospice observation room
For I’m not crazy
I can just see things everyone can not.


I’m in the dark on the carpet floor with many
cockroaches and a bat
For a reason.