I carefully rearranged my senses So they could have a conversation. Taught them to switch places; From each pore in my skin grew shimmering eyes! And fingerprints filled the eye sockets. From the ears grew two tongues And I sang for people passing a strange song. Told them stories without moving my lips! (Mouth half-open, still) They assumed the words came from themselves; These unfamiliar thoughts, And I sang to them Such is the speech of the body: The ribs painted their fingernails. (Black! Of course) And on the edges of the cunt Grew little teeth! The clitoris, that great sphinx, opened its eye: So many blind years, acting oedipus Meanwhile the vocal chords were listening For the wind howling, Whispering a familiar language of breath – Secret tales for them to learn. Then from my veins came a strange itching, And I felt a pull through the shoulder blades. I should have seen it coming! The blood was itching! And etched a hole at the nape of the neck. It flew out into the night Like a long, red ribbon to the sky. And up we went, blood and I, spread over the city. The dark sky lay against my skin, So close Like an eyelid.