Immobilized Whirling

Immobilized Whirling

Her mouth breathes
gin, tonic. A hint
of lemon. Brainwaves
try to rebel, succumb
to soothing numbness.

Gardenias on her
hands — oddly juxta-
posed with remnants,
reminders of mal-
adaptive mechanisms.

Night blooming jasmine
lingers on her pillow —
loneliness and ful-
fillment perpetually
walk hand in hand.

It’s about the subtle
source — soft secrets
hiding serrated edges,
scar tissue covering frailty.
[the thin parts of a girl]

In place of tangible truths,
ephemeral songs tattooed
in red [not blue] hang —
silenced by the splintering
perplexity of silence.

Phonetics drown in the absence
of syllables, aspirate on
the evaporation of consonants.
Words hover motionless —

careening.