Give My Body to the Ravens

let pale fire come, slowoxidation and nothingin proportion; please, my loverleft between the sheets.

Sing the breached walls, Troyor Carthage downedlike adolescence burningnothing in reservebound to meet its match.

Artemis in a snowdriftcold nest, Apollodown in the gutter againwhen he thinks no one is watchingturning women into treesor something.

And what cheap piper will tweet now,our lady of the arrowswith blood-stained houndswho asks us for our sorrowas the bottle empties?

Even as a child, our handsare deeply lined, readyfor our fortunes to be told:where you will gowith smoke out of your mouthold blade clenched between your teethhow many sighs you will embrace.