Exile

When you gaze into your polished metal plates

You picture the face of a man who longs to see his soul

But claws are claws, whether sharpened or painted or blunted

From hours of bounding, one-track-minded, through the snow

I have arrived, an exile too inferior for your highness to fight

Armored, not humored, and prepared to seize your life

The prisoner I came to rescue sits down to watch the fight

With tears in her eyes,

Who knew a tongue could do so much harm

Lying in one's mouth?

Dancing to music that wasn't really there

Muttering about moments we never even shared

Your twisted jaw moves

But you've lost all sound

How soon till your breath runs out?

When the others gaze into your polished eyes

As glassy as the doll's you hold to represent your soul

They witness the face of an animal acting like a man

In their confusion, you dressed them in sashes and perfume,

But the stench seeps through

I long to scream, "My country,

This is not how we were supposed to live!"

And with each mortifying blow, I'm fading rapidly

"Get up!" I hear that faithful onlooker plead

She won't insult me by looking away

When I start to bleed

Who knew a tongue could do so much harm

Lying in one's mouth?

Dancing to music that wasn't really there

Muttering about moments we never even shared

Your twisted jaw moves

But you've lost all sound

How soon till your breath runs out?

One leap, one strike, and the metal snaps away from your face

That chattering jaw comes unhinged

And your insincere tongue hangs down from your neck

I plunge through the ribs and grasp the steaming, slippery heart

It slides down my throat and I am king again

"Tear down these garish walls and let the prisoners free!

Throw their gaudy stones out to the sea!

Rip these dolls limb from limb, claws proudly unsheathed!

Our souls were never meant to be seen.