the skin of august
peeled away until only the
bones of september
are left

or what about this?

a dog starving in the
house of truths

the idea of stigmata

of children willing to drink
anyone's blood just to stay alive

and eventually
all of our outrage turns
to indifference

the shit is
washed out of the cage and
the boy is buried and
would you still sleep in
this room?

you would
if it was warm

if the closets were
emptied of all their ropes
and blades

if being human
was all you knew


� 2004 by John Sweet