6the Consumed peers out from behind amber and green, broken
cutthroat shards illuminate like a movie filter –
red, yellow, and blue to mirror his disposition
(fury, panic, depression)
as his life scrolls by, etched on celluloid
visions of an alternate universe: the heart pumps blood
steadily, slowly (onetwo, onetwo it pulsates) on unholy ground
Consumed blinks and finds his mouth spewing candy-colored pills
& powder & poisons (wretched boy retches out)
the stench of yesterday's addictions – he is
.
.blank
like an unstretched canvas, void sterilewaitingroom echo
the vibrations resonate off claustrophobic walls; even they
do not want to be alone with themselves
idle in a straight-jacket insanity; how perfectly numb
thoughts encased, an ex-caterpillar's chrysalis
but when spring comes, will he emerge (vivid, alive, free)
or remain blinded by his pity, covered in butterfly's parting dust?
movie-life ends as his film reel is cut short
white light flicker on the big cinema screen
audience gawks & gasps, a cup of empty tea leaves
read misfortune and brevity – what future yet lies for a
quaint little angel-boy/man-child, all grown up & pushing (acid) papers
he twists and turns in the night, writhes in self-defeat
the Consumed sits abruptly in a hospital bed
and counts the minutes until his departure (disposal, finale)
the moon howls crisp in the distance, but there is no salvation
in her crater-esque crescent. "a toast," says he to the crowd,
"to sixteen years of misery – cheers."
the ghosts clink all around, crystalline tap & the applause flows wildly
as a distant scarlet curtain falls, heavy and morose.
it drowns out his plunge into the arms of the Consumer
who opens up wide & bears his pointed teeth,
a wicked young grin and he begins feeding madly
scarfing what's left of the Consumed's squalid brow –
ravenous monster, starved eyes set alight:
there is no safety in numbers, no love in prison walls
so he does what he must, takes a bite of the bullet & watches his protégé
shimmer,
fade,
f
a
l
l