My eye sockets pain me, prickling,

Sinking needles into my skull, ever

so slowly, smoothing the edges, the

corners lost to the numbness;

Over coffee, it changes like fickle

Weather, whispering of thoughts not

spoke out loud, of words withheld,

dropping into empty eyes, empty sockets;

Crushing the tendrils of color, weight,

Twirling into the abyss, the click of

annoyance, the tongue flickering,

a snake ready to spring, coiling, coiling;

(The tethered bone creaks with ancient curses.)