absence is an axiom

call my tongue a snout

& my body will : i will eat

i will : but i won’t : stop

making the same : scar

twice : sorry : that’s too

bloody a scene : there’s no

villain in this play : give me

a name and i’ll sing :

here’s the lonely deal

my body is where it’s not

here’s the not : my body is

inside itself and clawing at

the wounds : here’s the knot :

here’s what i can’t : call my

liver a liver : and i’ll know

everyone sitting at the bar :

call my lung a lung and i’ll

have the whole pack : these

are conjectures not truths :

remember i eat : i starve :

gorge: i lunge : i be : for the

slop : i look for the mess : that

is me : here’s the deal : the

tame beast : fills a void : the

white space : grabs me : the

pup’s affirmed command : is

me : the loud bark : the sealed

mouth : i be : i be