from VERSUS: POEMS (APPEARS in BIMBO: An Anthology, nominated for a Pushcart)

V.S.

Candy-venomed,

nasty-weak, tangled

licorice, gallows-deep.

I ran off yesterday,

broke the ribbon-line,

told you: follow the

hemline of my fresh

dress, it’s bright

as shadow.

I got licked in the last fight,

damn right.

Still, I came back scream/smiling.

Look: I found out you were tall

as bullet.

So I bit the length of this journey off,

got soft as preening fire, entiendes?

I’m sugar-skinned and horrible.

You can call me any other name

but I call myself

viper//sweet.