I am cleaning off my girl

wild_detail

I am cleaning off my girl I long to salvage what’s live in her


I wipe kohl gunk from the slits of her eyes

I pat at her glittery pout with a towel


My girl scowls at me and cries and cries

As I rinse the smoke from her hair


As I wash the blood from her cloven feet

bandage            put her in warm socks    satin slippers


I know she’ll take off

I know she’ll raid the liquor cabinet

Dunk her head in gore

For she is my marvel

My unnamable        thunder        my unbaptized        corrupt font


Wild nightshade inflames the first bed of spring
 

"Wild" artwork by Paula Barkmeier  

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