meat, 2020, Mouth Literary Magazine

 

scratch at the skin with

fists clenched in holy repentance

edges of the holiness creep into

the black brittleness of the gap in the

front made from too many teeth

black like the space inbetween

we wander between where

the shadow of man falls

 

across the tile floor you spill as

i sink into your spine and tear it

out shake your ribs loose

and sing from the throat a prayer

into the throat the butcher knife falls

shearing the edge of the bone

the ribs plucked like strings sing

a tune of god's fury

 

out from adam’s chest came eve

reaching for the apple down the throat

the butcher knife falls

while judgment sits on his throne

between the shadow of the fall

the fall of the kingdom

 

of thine own kingdom where i gaze onto god

into the cow the butcher knife falls

the blood wets our feet it kicks its feet

eyes wide and wild crying

for relief the butcher knife falls

and god does not gaze back at me

 

as we skitter like animals nay

insects on animals fleas or

flies on rotting meat

in my teeth a thigh between mine

the butcher knife falls leaking ripe

fruit we suck at the fruit of life

the blood of life drips from our hands

mouth at the veins eyes too hungry

too empty head stuffed with teeth with

hollow eyes as we lean together

in the between