the coral of an ancient reef baby's feeble first cry knew it would be so hard hands weren't scarred toppled barns and houses towards the sky at her birth strange and out of place where the dead-life grew larger all that forgotten childhood before i heard her screams not saying anything else she turned and walked away darkness remained, starless as evil tongues had it she remembered the first desire warmed the nape of my neck like an invisible shaking i turned to face my destination the dried blood of executed men still wrapped in innocence her grave, steadfast eyes concealed by the thick layer of mist the head of the snake reaches its tail clear and sharp, nails on glass infinitely more terrible than mere death Setting Orange, 20 Chaos YOLD 3190 (Saturday, January 20 2024)