bruises

if you aren't human, what are you?

with silk ropes I tied his hands and feet

and began to shuffle cards and mete them out

many cards with many names

many names to come and try

come and try

the raspberry stains and the cracked rib

kegs of men's blood rolling in the bowels of a ship

his feet curl and the floor is made inebriated

there's a carcass out here

out here and in my memory

shafts of skin

a rose white sheet

and he is on his knees and he is on the ground

his face pushed unbelievably deep into the carpet

bells ring, places change, and a sour symphony bleeds the air

and in his ears are thunder showers

and a blood rain

someone yowls like a bob cat

that's a finish

hair is devoured

time moves on

the end is

just out of sight

and in the last hours we are going strong

might make it to the line and cross it

my soul's on fire for it

I clutch my heart

but his skin breaks

it always breaks

s. sparling