Flesh is heretic. br My body is a witch. br I am burning it. br br Yes I am torching br her curves and paps and wiles. br They scorch in my self denials. br br How she meshed my head br in the half-truths br of her fevers br br till I renounced br milk and honey br and the taste of lunch. br br I vomited br her hungers. br Now the bitch is burning. br br I am starved and curveless. br I am skin and bone. br She has learned her lesson. br br Thin as a rib br I turn in sleep. br My dreams probe br br a claustrophobia br a sensuous enclosure. br How warm it was and wide br br once by a warm drum, br once by the song of his breath br and in his sleeping side. br br Only a little more, br only a few more days br sinless, foodless. br br I will slip br back into him again br as if I had never been away. br br Caged so br I will grow br angular and holy br br past pain br keeping his heart br such company br br as will make me forget br in a small space br the fall br br into forked dark, br into python needs br heaving to hips and breasts br and lips and heat br and sweat and fat and greed.