stones on the floor of my tongue

there is a torrent of words I long to unleash

from behind the ivory bars of my teeth

and the prison guard of my tongue

my body is a vessel

a capsule

a container

my body is a mess of symbolism

and imperfect perfection that trembles on the edge of resplendence

I could not name

my pulsing organs

or introduce you to my nerves and capillaries

but

I can show you

the way they sing

in the depths of my being

knit tight and held close by blood and bone and gristle

string my blood vessels along

and tie my hands tight with their ends

drain my fragile wrists dry

and drink deep from the well of my eyes

where are my pearly bones hiding

that you must search so avidly for them

how can I hide my tendons

after you have asked so nicely for them

how did I manage to lose

the only lungs I ever owned

and why did they elope

with my silk walled kidneys

my heart has lost her head

and weeps into the skirts of my bladder

while her lover

my ears

long for what's inside her

a chill

reminiscent

and fond

whispers sweet nothings to my stubborn spine

while whatever else inside me

                   shivers

deep

           and dying

help is a cry for the desolate

there is a word
trapped in the bars of my throat
sinking slow
to the depths of my belly
heavy
heavy
heavy
in the doorway of my lungs

someone
pry it
from my sandpaper tongue
from my paper paste saliva

someone
set
me
free

Sleep Soft and Desperate

fatigue
swims
in the pools of my iris

sporadic
energy
curling in my fingers

why
should
I exist

when
existence
weighs upon my heart

delicate
sad
lost to the ravages of time

and
my
blood cries for fear

of
what
lurks in my breast