let me crawl inside you let me know your horror & loss let me return once to what i knew teach me your fears & emptiness
did the others turn away arms & smiles closed to you has your skin changed then
strange how we shrink strange how we hollow & fall into ourselves fill with dust & ashes
teach me your strength, your guilt, your innocence
take me out of your box no more blood-lettings when i try to come in to you
let me collect the pieces from the bedroom floor dark attic
it's your eyes that search for pain pluck them out & leave me blind it's your hands that scratch for blood let me put you together in a shape that suits us both
over & over i invent you clay shape, growing limbs, fed in darkness moth, wingspan to fly fly fly away
i'll rip your lips into a smile yet a humble laughter
give me your hand, gentle fingers that i may wrench out of sight wrapped tight behind you no arms to hold or thrust away bound quick, they blue & fall handless child, smile mine
then i will retrieve all those unread puzzles tossed about your feet piece them together in my own order read them as i may