A murder of early birds,
crows perching;
serpent slithering, swerves;
worms squirm, turning the dirt.

Working up the nerve at first,
fervently burst
from the earth,
surfacing through turf-
the birth of a person
burgeoning from
between the curtains,
occurring virginous,
nature versus nurture
emerged.

Words, verbs,
and terms heard
become verses earned;
sermons for internal clergy,
pertinent versions of our
self-virtuousness,
unfettered and perverse.

Our sterling silver
perfect sureness disturbed
by learning hurt;
mercilessly surgical,
flurry of burgundy
permeates and obscures;
wounds nursed,
suturing severed mirth
leaving nerves astir.

No longer impervious,
a servant to
this...