~*~*~*~

Fern hair plaited by its own stems, she
a nimbus of magnetic yarn, a suit of felt,
or dropping these, adorned in ornate vapor,
an arabesque of fog, a viper in eyeshadow that coils
at the corner stone of the state
to flagrantly protect me,

on the steps of a soaked courthouse
I tie cherry stem after cherry stem
with tongue and teeth, take the taste of water back
in crumbling mouths, that open far above my head
waving wands at the springs
and words on fire with overemphasis
she visits a bubble and scratches a bulb
an orchid's blood drops on the evening
turns purple in my signature

I guard a vast grill
the meat is suddenly scentless
oil on stone and coal
she removes me from the chef's catwalk
the powers I've fed are starved
when they come to my door I play them music
her wig falls on dry leaves, her hidden follicles
unfurl their ringlets
curve the air into my stomach, turn my pursuers
to dunes of milestone salt, she

~*~*~*~