can't burn these words

"...look in the mirror, we think the image
which confronts us is accurate..."--harold pinter


you gifted me with a thought, pretense
of a way to have dignity (because all
is less ephemeral than the flight of emotion).

naked you walk over time
with breath and lips
divining meaning. colonies
of skin tags, benedictions of
blemishes,the blood
in the veins pumping.

it was because you could not lie that you saw
the value of truth. matchstick before flame.

i feel shame, your shadow more
solid than mine, calls to lazy
guilt. blood in my viens
rebells & longs to spill
in the sinning streets to cleanse
them or me. same thing.

i whisper to your blank ness-only a very few
are allowed. your eyes feast
on my lies, feed them to future like deaths
which will never be counted.

when belief is allowed my flesh
you mumble from inside my burning
dreams when you offer up your body
same as curse, you may at last sing.

pond and sun ripple in music only
my eyes can hear. i know the whole
world's sorrow and the single prayer
of each dna: remember me.