AbC…24 Version 4 Dredge away… away into the soul of the gaunt-hearted, from which you dwell Crawl up into that corner of your mind, only to find yourself a human itching under skin at my name, Click— AmEliA The scolding touch of metal, amber beams radiated, weathering in my breath. Ambivalent how to ignite the mask, without scarring the face yet… Conviction of the love that you would never be ashamed doesn't douse the dread, Still learning primal fear— stomach lurching, churning, turning, as the ghost of intent pierces me once more. Anguish whipping my heart like a horse’s, chained hoofs pounding— Sobs shaking my shoulder—my name too scarce to open residence, branded— —24— yet…unwilling to leave it locked. Profanity of perfection, willing the mask of embers rigidly to chin, throat— and smoldering soul— Spitting out rust-red waves of purpose, yet uncertain how to write life void of straight lines of letters Color indefinite to the shifting eyes of the soul, in an orchard of overripe truth, …Truth… Along the everlasting precipice of earth I dredge, weighed by the gravity of… of— north and south —an— —24—d east and west. Compass spinning, single stop clock ticking, hollow home* …hollow house Lost… Lost, walking through a web of words, tentative to take a step into fear’s life once more Inchoate life and dream, trampled in perfection Vertigo slithering into the chaos of why— Watching through my eyes—vertigo strapped in—my feelings whirl in reverse Rotating…               Reversing…                                 Inverting…                      in whirl feelings              my in strapped—                         vertigo—                  eyes              m y                    through                              watch ing —24— Heart dropping down my throat My grinning shadow the—truth that seeps behind me— seeping in my dreams, bathing in muddy swirls of hope, anger, and sadness, singing “A B C D [ ] F G H I J K L [ ] N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z” —miss a step, stumble— No— N-ooo no NO. A deer in the headlights of hope. Why am I submerged in overlapping bowls of serial Nu2b4rs— Taught twenty-four… is—“close enough? Hang, your language—” EMber, EyEs, sEEping, bEaMs, EvEry, My, ME Earth, EvErlasting, ovErripE, MEtal, sMoldering, Why does a tongue whiplash my shattered heart? Yet no question. Cold granite steals the warmth from my fingertips. Alone in present thought.
Stark white blank canvas,
unblemished by life’s stroke. Pristine office, Tight leather chair, my reflected eyes interviewing. Ribs stitching my stomach, my shadow, the sower of doubt, Still crawling through a web of words, Words… Frag24nt. Drea24r Na24… Love— Cackling… in screams, shouts, states—of-truths. I throw it all on the table, Stark white canvas—scribbled. Earth—a circle. Mask letters unbound. Click of the car—solitary words unlocked. I am 24 + 2 = M + E Me.