virtuous annihilation
By Carrie Sullivan

she was younger - smaller - more petite -
her hair was long - gray lips - gray eyes.
something inside, mocking every thought
cynical, repulsive, shattering
the night filled every day, every dream.
shattering lust - lost in darkness.
energy drained by a parasite.
pupils enlarged - mouth dry - cheeks hot - body trembling.
relentlessly perfecting an escape route:
checking all windows, all doors - all locked -
pounding all walls, all floors -
clawing all corners, all fragments of kiss -
sharp metal scraping / burning / numbing
between spread legs
pushed inside - feel it trying to hid - deep inside -
shattering the night - the night.

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