Burden

Introductions made
Secret handshakes
Unholy fist bumps exchanged
Then you stare at me
With longing eyes
“Is there something
You need?” I ask
Though I know what is to proceed
All you can mutter are the words–
To know you

To know me indeed!

My heart a necropolis
Graves opened corpses robbed
Trinkets of everlasting hope stolen
Promises of everlasting life broken
My mind a death maze
Possibilities trapped no way out
Paths forever Sisyphean routes
My body an open wound
Oozing defecating escalating
Cause and treatment not found–

“To know me?
Why do you seek
Such a burden?”

Because human
Breath confines you said
Thoughts are prisons you said
Heart stains clarity you said–

Then you grasped all corners
Of your geometry and pulled
Teared and teared some more
Until you laid bare the
Terrible beauty within
And there was nothing

Not even angels wept

And that’s when I knew
You were worthy