and we laugh
through the citrus sores
tongues and cheeks raw with exclamations
madly cackling and howling
feet soaking in the pooled mania
One night we danced
until our limbs were loose in their hinges
no longer blending our silhouettes into the quiet shadows
but shouting with pastel skirts
catching the winds
mighty sails, we were
pushing forward the bow into the endless blue.
We were green
with boots much too heavy for our porcelain ankles
days and days
each slithering slower than the last
clawing to keep the night at bay
the sun no longer wishing to lend its light
to the hollow moon
oh, those days were hard
sailing wet on the splashing seas
how we craved the storm
to weather our stiff-fitting forms
and soften the leather of our shoes
all the better for waltzing, we thought
the swing would cure our scurvy.
so when the moon finally had the sun on the ropes
we threw our last punches
and swung ourselves into the strings
plucked to match the ocean
pounding on the hull.
and we laughed
as his skin hardened
oranged by the sun’s forceful kiss
we drank the acid
and watered down our hopes
of ever finding land.