i hold this shining black stone eye
that sees the past and future here
and i can see that i’ve got bad blood
that stains dark memories on everything
when i’m sad i see medieval
metaphors and punishments in me
under layers of wax and wine-veined tissue
undulating to an angel-alien without a face
her hair, long braids, falls over smooth white shoulders
and pearls around her neck, above her perfect breasts
her womb is unpacked neatly, an eternity gestation
does she mirror what i am or what i ought to be?
smooth-limbed russian dolls of stillbirths
chart growth unfolding from a shapeless knot,
look whole and human, tendons hearts and fingernails
although it’s a metaphor for life which can’t truly translate
they’re cold, hard, solid, and her turgid crawling veins
can never spill their thick dark blood, she’ll never taste
the life go out of her, a stench of salt and warm decay
her body’s still and everlasting as mine can never be
a living death-chamber womb contracting painfully
breasts that swell and leak, flesh shifts and decays
while she lies biddably forever to the glory of Christ
illustrating vicious circles in the name of the knowledge of men.