I've Been a Gaylord - Pet

His jaw has fallen

And said bones smooth away

You finger for the shape of

Him with your hands

But these teeth won’t twitch

Or tongue a word

His mouth rounds over

And you don’t recognize him

The skin’s so loose

You can slip on his face

And with a few flicks

Gestures lay into place again

You speak his words

That you’ve written on your hand

But with no voice to match

They spit up in your lap

And people laugh

Because they don’t recognize it

Can you sincerely incant

To bring him back?

Can you be a girly man

And let him go?

Or will you just zip

Into his empty skin?

Plant his lonely bones

And be his puppet ghost

Until there are only his words

Left to say

Until you are nothing

But his sweet jackie-o

Until you don’t recognize

Yourself