Cremation

Cassandra Freiborg

In the mouth of madness we are all created
equal and in sync .I have held my breath
and kissed you surreptitiously
under the guise of your guardian angel.
I held your inner clock in my trembling fingers and turned the hands

back to a happier time when tears dared not threaten.

Your happiness like a fever burned hotter than lightning

and just as conductive. But the death of abstracts

glossed your eyes and I wept acid for you

at the loss of innocent ideals, for your broken empathy.

In the mouth of madness we are all cringing

under the weight of eternal bonds. In wintry blood

we have wounded one another under pretenses of good intention.

If I could return to the days- before the creation of your pleasure

I would throw myself onto the growing light and quench the inferno.

If I could halt the mounting madness

I would not hesitate to stifle the budding

hope if it meant

I could keep you

empty of anguish