Before I knew they were monkeys, they looked like this.

Untitled

I love you like a bandage
Like a blood transfusion
Like morphine
no
Heroine
Ecstasy

I love you like the pain that tells me I'm still alive

I love you like murder
Like red on the floor
Rape
Violence

Umbrella

When I wouldn't eat...

When I wouldn't eat
They sent me to bed without supper

When I wouldn't sleep
There were chores at dawn

When I wouldn't work
They sent me to my room

…Where I sulked
So infinitely mistreated

Love Your Monsters

I'll be busy again this week

next week

for the next several years

unfocused

just doing things

anything

I can

to escape

but there is no escape

from myself

but the one I can't let myself take

always there

in the back of my mind

the unacceptable escape

the only escape

the ultimate failure

admission of weakness

game over

you lose

Must

Love

Self

Or

Die

Why should it be so hard? I'm a wonderful person.

cry it out

cry it out

just cry

sob yourself to exhaustion

you'll still be there at the end

it only feels like dying

it's not

it's just water

and salt

it shrinks the monsters

The Modern Echo

In the modern world Echo is not allowed to waste away

Modern women are too practical and strong to die so foolishly and romantically

The modern Echo bounces from Narcissus to Narcissus

Maybe this one will love me

Love me

Love me

…

Alone she is silent and empty and whole

A circle

Blank and complete

To speak to her is to fill her

To flow through her

To leave her is to silence her fullness

To leave her is to stifle her speech

To choke her until…

In ancient times she would die

Her love left behind to haunt valleys and cliffs

Today she cannot die

Death is failure

Death is weakness

She must become silent and empty and whole

She must try to remain silent and empty and whole

This time she MUST REMAIN silent and empty and whole

Innocent and forgetful

She must not hear you speak

Alone again

She is silent and empty and whole

Innocent and forgetful

Don't speak to her

Oh please god don't speak to her

Speak to her

Speak to her

Oh please god speak to her

Silent and empty and whole

Alone

Alone

Alone

…

One word penetrating the stillness

Sharp and clear

A jewel

To be reflected and repeated

One word

Your word

You

To be loved

And loved

And loved

From every angle

Every facet of meaning

Repeating

Repeating

Repeating

Forever

It feels like forever

Please, this time forever

Oh god no don't go

Don't leave me

Don't leave me in silence

Each repeating silence grows deeper

Heavier

Less circle

More hole

Please don't go

Please don't

Please

…

Let me die

Let me keep this word

This love

To repeat

Forever

To fill me in death

Don't make me live silent and empty not whole

Can't let go

Let go

Let go

…

The modern Echo cannot die

Cannot die like this

She lives on to love

And die

Again

Again

Again

…

Narcissus doesn't see

Can't see

An Echo loves more than a mirror

He dies and is free

He can choose

Chooses death in the face of love

He dies and repeats

Repeats

Repeats

…

Maybe this one will love me

Love me

Love me

…

Creature (2? 3?)