my love, my poison, my hope, my death

I go ahead of dawn, I tread
before the first light wakes new life
looking for me, alive or dead
under my chin up to the handle of your knife

last night you let me run away
again I slip from you, our arcane game
in creases of black leather, let me stay
all cracked, streaked mountains stand aflame

my love, Herr Aufseher, my black light
cathedral, gothic lighthouse roof
yesterday's tulips fluttering in flight
burned up 600 times and resurrected fireproof

my poison, polonium, strychnine
and flakes of skin, discarded pages
your hands of ice, man and machine
a spotted symphony, indented rib cage

my hope, mein Heil und Unheil
deaf notes of fall, callous and bleak
decaying rescuer, desired but so vile
under that uniform, I know you’re weak

my death, Herr Aufseher, and so I pledge
come to the river of steel blue
and when I meet you at the edge
at last and once for all I’ll come with you