He is granite and the sludge of rum,

gutter slums and gums;

nicotine teeth,

gun metal slush

crenellated into castle walls.

She smirks, smokes his fury like a cigarette

smog collapsing in like lungs

coils into chain link.

We tangle, uselessly, brokenly;

a queen of hearts and her sorry twin

twined into creaking metaphor.

I—torn from ruddy throats,

raw and blinking cleanly—

corrupt.