i spent too many winters
drowning in sweat
battling demons & blocking angels
to have my bloodied independence shattered
like a clumsily dropped orchid

in bed with only your rainbo jersey
& the carcass of a soul stripped naked
of guards braces sheets
a lumpy mattress on the floor
devoid of springs & stuffing

facedownspreadeagled as novices become nuns & marry jesus
i offer you this husk
to populate with your boundless
passions

picture perfect
by Bernedette Muthien

there's a thumbprint
on a face without a pupil
and lines of identity
circling the frame
greyscale
with some swatches
of peach
life's a finger supper
snap