Elyse

Aha!
You have come across me
The masterpiece!

(I am perfection)
The flow of colors
making my milky skin
my berry-kissed lips
and my star-dust eyes
I stare from my confinement
and wink at you
oh so seductively

Made with crippled hands
and crafted by flawed minds...
Wouldn't one like me be such?
You can see that the corner of my mouth
tugs down awkwardly -
or that my hands are too small for my body
A creation is only as great as its-

No!
You are (right) mistaken.
I am perfection!
I am the essence of mankind!

Raspberries

This is the last love song
There will be no more heartache
Smeared across the bed frame
The sighs of contentedness will be scrubbed
Clean off of those damn sheets

This is the final church hymn
The gods will turn their copper hands
Over and let their broken children fall
They will make the red sun weep
And drown us all

This is the irrevocable dirge
Tears will not fertilize the earth
And grow ripe little raspberries
The silence that follows will be deafening
To all who slice their own hands

This is the concluding lullaby
I will breathe no more
in this valley seeping with opportunities
The corpse that I will be leaving behind
Will turn into glass in the wind

Goodbye.

À la mer

This monster can't stay one size
Above his kingdom, the sea
He can't be satisfied

Retreating or advancing
The seahorses whined and the starfish armed themselves for battle
They were prepared for the war
But you just lied there in your alabaster perfection
Crystallized in sea salt and sand
Above the crisp, white waves

You slid beneath my skin
And with the spattering roar of ancient engines,
We became one
Our laughter carved out of inadequate materials of
Sweat, bones, and scales

Tossed into the glittering, cold sky
I watched you from my imprisonment
Bathed in his salty, recurring fears
You had already lost the war
The crabs clicked and the eels hissed at the failure
Advancing or retreating

This monster can't stay one size
Above his kingdom, the sea
He can't be satisfied

The Wake

Bright crimson
Blossoms in front of my eyes
Pressure on the forehead
Flames licking my mind
There's nothing like
Anger at its finest

See Instructions Below

Dear miss,
Yield your flame
Abandon your amber lips and
Your sapphire veins
You won’t have need for them
For where you are going
You don’t need your tongue to taste
The saltwater around you
You don’t need to keep warm at
The freezing, ocean floor

(You should be more careful)
These tides will come and
Break your wrists
So please, sit down
And swallow your words

Dear sir,
Sacrifice your glow
Shed your onyx mind and
Your jasper skin
These aren’t required
For where you are staying
Thoughts aren’t necessary when
You can’t breathe
Touch isn’t necessary when
You can’t feel

(Take heed to these words)
These tides will come and
Sting your flesh
So be a dear and cross out
Those stray thoughts

Dear child,
Surrender your shine
Relinquish your opal eyes and
Your topaz heart
Wanting is a ridiculous thing
For where you are sleeping
Do you really want to see the
Murky shadows of doubt?
Do you really want to hear your
Heartbeat race with trepidation?

(Don’t stray too far from us)
These tides will come and
Strip your soul
So kindly close the curtains
And enjoy the ride

Juniper

He is my lover, my closest friend. My white wolf. He will carry me into the depths of the ocean, where the warm caress of the tide can be felt. I will come out open-eyed and afraid.

I have surrendered my icy perfection. I have shed my onyx mind and my diamond skin. The snow has fallen off my face and has blossomed into emerald foliage. Beautiful, jeweled foliage.

I am not a perfect star-child anymore.

He is inhuman. His soft lips press against mine fiercely. He is Gabriel. His fingers run along my body, holding on tightly. He is paradise. I can feel his heartbeat against my own.

I feel his touch, and soon enough I am floating. My feet dangle from his grasp, and my hair falls before my eyes. All that is left is for him to continue to cradle me.

I am blinding. I am deafening. I am speechless.

He will follow me into the depths. And as he zips up a pair of faded jeans and a plain white shirt, I am in the sky in pieces. Numerous, jeweled pieces.

Marigold

He is my father, my heavenly guide, my earthly flesh and bone. He will drag me into the depths of the night, where the melodic shrieks of the creatures can be heard. I will come out unscathed and broken.

I have forfeited my shine. I have relinquished my topaz heart and my opal eyes. The star dust has fallen off my shoulders and has burst into sapphire flames. Greedy, jeweled flames.

I am not a perfect star-child anymore.

He is human. His rough hands quiver oh so gently. He is God. His gaze is cold, loving. He is hell. His sickly sweet breath lingers on my neck.

I feel his touch against my neck, and soon enough I am wearing a choker. My collar is secure. The leash is in place. All that is left is for him is to guide me.

I am blind. I am deaf. I am mute.

He will lead my into the dark. And as he buttons his crisp, powder blue shirt and his navy slacks, I am on the floor in pieces. Numerous, jeweled pieces.