Preservation

That night he hurt you bad

In that green, pastel

summer dress

You'd die alone with the land

A hollow head in its hands

But everybody does that

But with particular scorn,

in polyurethane form,

freeze dried, stuff to the brim- PreservationHide in our hideous masks

Your daddy's shitty

shake grass

I told you I couldn't see it

A monument of pills,

grocery lists, telephone bills,

pamphlets & dollar

store trinkets- PreservationBut if that was how you put

it, and if you ever willed it,

I would embroider you

In disaffected kisses, in

bleach reticent sunsets,

soldered animal glueA hand too heavy to hold

Lips that won't

do what they're told

How do we ever begin it?

How do we grow old?