I am the tortoise
I will not speed past you
I will not pass you at all
             on your best day.
            but I’ll do today
         what I did yesterday
      and tomorrow, again:
Work steadily
     carefully
     methodically
     consistently
     without interruption
     until the day is done
              and on most days
You will find you have fallen behind
                I have come out ahead.
              (without coming out of my shell)

deep penicillin -
I am disease and diseased -
my thoughts are poison

the dif’rence between
suicide and homicide
is in your cruel words

I have been disintegrating.
  Gradually,
       internally,
            losing my signal
within the noise.

This world destroys me.
  I drink it in,
       refreshed,
           the acidic coldness
swallows me entirely.

If you could be honest with me
       would you admit

   you want me
              to break
    everything
              apart,

   you want
           me
         no
           matter
       what?

       would you admit
             you don’t care about your
       better
             judgement
   as much as
             you care about
                       love?

       would you admit love?
   you could be honest
   you could be
                       with me