the zenith of lilith

you placed your foot upon my shadow
resolutely stopped me leaving
so i’m asking why you won’t let me kiss you

every time you petal your thighs
all the angels commit suicide
a field of red puff shudderings
as far as the eye can see

you placed your foot upon my shadow
resolutely stopped me leaving
so i’m asking why you won’t let me know you

and whenever you peddle your lies
all the demons almost believe you
but i didn’t make it rain this time
so you cannot blame me

you placed your foot upon my shadow
resolutely stopped me breathing
so step off, bitch

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2022

GUEST POST // Ten Things I Want to Forget by Daniel Serazzi

A calming voice which calls to me through the fog
a hand on my back telling me it will be alright
the warmth of a body as I shiver beneath the sheets
and the smiles, dear God, let me forget the smiles

and the pleasure of listening to her day
and tucking her into bed when she was sick
her tears of terrors past revisited again
most of all, I beg, let me forget

the soft sighs, the feeling
when flesh meets flesh
in a lover’s embrace
the glint of satisfaction
and laughter at the end
please let me forget

by DANIEL SERAZZI
© All rights reserved 2020

never wake

it feels like i’m falling away
like you don’t want me to care
then tell me, why am i here
tell me why i’m anywhere

all that i’ve held onto
i guess it doesn’t mean a damn
fain just let me disappear

the nothing i had, you burned it all
so at least let me be warmed a little while
gift me a last unbeholden smile
then tell me why, why won’t i die

all that i’ve clung onto
i guess it isn’t worth a damn
fain just let me disappear

it feels like you don’t want me to feel
i’m the face you’ve unseen behind the door
don’t tell me to dry my tears
don’t tell me anything at all

everything you said
was all i ever knew
everywhere i trod
was to keep pace with you
everything i felt
now everything imbued
i’ve never needed you more
to enslave myself to you

you’re the stone that weighs within me
beneath this binding arc of decay
lo, i am death, lo, i am sleep

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2018

storm in a teacup (spit & forget)

i have lost
the storm is already in my head
verbum domini
someone take this teacup from me

i’m roaring from beneath the earth
life, you beautiful bastard
you’ve gone and avalanched me again

her plane flew the coop
she left me to silk another day
and i am bereft, here to rot
death beneath an ashen tree

i’m roaring from beneath the earth
in an arc of sonic dismay
life gone, you’ve avalanched me again

farewell to thee, my dead christ
farewell to thee, my once fey
to crucifix and pricked white bosom
farewell fate’s capricious dice
farewell this bleak and empty day
in the month of may i hied away