rock salt

Rock salt,
polished-bronze.
Your colors are black and silver, gold and mica-schist.

You are very old,
and description of you must be succinct.

You have become too sharp
in my heart (black-lit).

When I breathe in
you entangle my thoughts.
When I exhale, you lodge yourself
like sharp pebbles in the soft parts of my heart.

I am sad like a storm
brooding over trees,
fuming soft like clouds,
(releasing rain over fields).

You have covered your mouth onto mine,
like a death-lid,
faint taste of blood-metal in the rain.

I asked to be struck,
Thorough-core,
Lit-match
(now I am filled with sparks).

I remember only through shininess and dark—
through opals, and grey glittering gems,
Glance-lit.

You are Shapeshifter:
Dark smoke--
Written-on--
Polished stone.

I am embers ground,
Shavings curled in the fire:
Black sand then glass--
rock-peeled--
stone-schist--
(black alchemist).

(elg 2010)