two corpses, caressing

for p.

two bodies traverse the expanse of a bleak surface
turgid tendons, split shins, flayed toes
but still walking
propelled by a hunger surpassing the stomach
as lidless eyes dance among the faces
desperate to find a hollowed out counterpart
 
two bodies come together with clanging cartilage and vacant stares
empty eyes and lolling tongues
tissue skin sheared from the friction of fingers
gnashing teeth reminiscent of romance
hollow hearts and hands, touching and tearing
clamoring for a clavicle
but only grasping guts

devoid of pleasure but programmed by dim memories
of what this once felt like
 
two bodies moaning in the murk
assuaging and assaulting, seething and writhing
 falling away from each other in the blood wet world
trying to taste the truth of one body to another
but only tasting tin
drunk on the red wine of blood
full on necrotized flesh
satiated by nothing
 
one body gasps and screams
and shudders and stumbles
stops
then moves past the other
blood on the mouth, hole in the chest
seeking sanctuary in another skin
 
one body stands alone
and watches the other shuffle away
filled with a mud soaked memory of pain unidentified
flooding back from the faint fog
no marks on the skin, no bruise to the brain
only an internal hemorrhage
 
one person bludgeoned by the burden of belonging
recalls the ramifications of respiration
and dies again
 then concedes to the cold dark
 

and crumbles