Lilith

I am the golden-teared princess crying

rivers in which you drown: the essence

of sea salt preserving, the chaos

you’re hurting, a vanguard now

converging on the brink of collapse,

a Circassian beauty, reckless,

but fully aware that you’re cutting

off circulation to my “little finger”.

You couldn’t even part with me.

Your wings hold back the sun’s rays

as the daughters of Medusa make their way

through the metropolis. It’s just a sunset.

Livestock rots while the blood starts to clot

and the anura create green carpets for the hail to descend upon,

darkness falls and I still hear you calling out

to the lovers on the wall, keep your eyes open!

I am responsible according to your gospel

(it was the woman whom thou gavest to be with me).

Cipro, psycho, intentional

at all times, you might be a misogynist,

reactive, narcissistic, and hopelessly optimistic.

Mother, darkness is a more cryptic load to carry.

I am not your x to mark the spot, stop digging

into me. (The devil is guiding

your hands.)

It’s easy to recover

from lip service when spite is

your tonic, I will not be

your Catherine of Aragon.

Some of the blood is drying now,

but I still miss

you when you hold me. (You remove your shoes

in my presence, because that is what I have commanded of you.)

I am not yours to be jealous for,

so I stick flowers in the barrel and press

cool metal to my temple,

as our fingers interlace around the trigger.

Your hands are shaking.

I was an idol when you were

idle, but heaven forbid

your flaming sword keep me from paradise.

Abhorrent and bleeding, I’m just

the burial cloth of the Nazarene, begging you

to tell me you believe in cleansing by fire.