Lisps and shadows pulse

an aura about him—grey

partial truths like a tongue

along the edge of a lover’s lip.

He’s seduced into his dreams,

limply tangled with desire

for different words, altered spaces;

until his waking life’s effaced,

and he vanishes into mockery

as if he only existed as parody

of everything he once believed.

(January 25, 2019)