his jaw has fallen
and said bones smooth away
you finger for the shape of
him with your hands
but these teeth won't twitch
or tounge a word
his mouth rounds over
and you don't recognize him
the skin's so loose
you can slip on his face
and with a few flicks,
gestures lay into place again
you speak his words
that you've written on your hand
but with no voice to match,
they spit up in your lap
and people laugh
because they don't recognize it
can you sincerely incant
to bring him back?
can you be a girly man
and let him go?
or will you just zip
into his empty skin?
plant his lonely bones
and be his puppet ghost
until there are only his words
left to say
until you are nothing
but his sweet jackie-o
until you don't recognize
yourself