Daughter Be Not

The trafficked desperation

The lined, faux leather couch

The smoke of burned unmentionables

It was pizza

And so like heyzeus from the ashes you rose

Because phoenixes are too poetic

Because time had clocked me once again

Because asleep I dreamt in color

Birds are colorblind

But you and I could feel the color red

Color of passion, hatred, love, evil,

The pizza sauce

The blood

I refused to go to the bathroom;

I refused to go to the kitchen;

I’ve always had to be the one with the last word.

So

Daughter Be Not

And

Subsequent pools mirrored this sentiment

The distress clogged with smoke

Fire

Color never to be seen

So

Goodbye forever,

Dear phoenix