Untitled

Kiss with caution
she has a gun locked behind her lips
tongue on trigger
and she's never missed
soiled fingernails indicate
she has been buried alive in hurt
there is dirt in her lungs
so she doesn't waste her words on men
he goes to church every Sunday
but he is sin coated in cinnamon
roams like lightning
and carries red paint chips
in his pocket
they ended with others
a month ago
but when the sun follows its shadow home
breathing is the soundtrack
hers, his
track 6, the interlude.

With Her Eyes Closed

Her window is in sight
its right above her cheekbone
but the fall is still too far
and she never forgets to set her alarm
but she has to write down her dreams
and if they happen
to visit during the day
like sun rays on smoke
they are evaporated by night
she has flames
flowing through her veins
but no fire escape
she is purple ribbon
wrapped in wire
she assigns numbers to her plans
that will one day involve kids,
a husband living in beige rooms
even though her favorite color
is green
she doesn't know the simple
the soft middle
hearts put back fast
and then stolen again
hers is stiff and still
the trees are the only ones
that understand
so when no one is looking
she whispers to them
can I leave with you?

Black Codes

Complete the census
Fill in the box
with a primary color
Secondary? no, you're other
so carry I.D.
Drink the kool-aid
but don't talk about drinking Kool-Aid
or eating chicken
not in front of them
and remember always
carry I.D, preferably the census
Curve your spine
picking tomatoes
for my fries
that someone skinny
will pretend to eat
so they can sell it back to
me
We need to compete
put up 5 more Burger Kings
in the same vicinity
between those liquor stores
but make sure there is
no place to buy
organic tomatoes
then call up your president
we need to check
his birth certificate.