Legitimate Salvage

If you prick me do I not bleed

insides come spilling out like weeds

tangled, feral, noxious - still

creating patterns that never will

be replicated, try or not

this tangled mess is all we've got

Fatalism? Of course one may

etch the outcome into clay

limestone, talc cliffs, iron, rust

all eventually turn to dust

the end is the beginning 

until it's the end

all's not over til it's over my friend

Slates can be cleared

and cleaned with care

all the instruments are there

an honest day's work

for an honest day's pay

alas, honesty's not

something you parlay

not a trick for a parlour

that you can play on me

I know too much and

Too much can i see

The tapestry woven

with threads of my soul

tattered and tainted

you took it all

Painted a future

that was always a fake

such an impressionist

talents on display

isolate me, convince me

i was crazy

ever the saint

tolerating my mayhem

no matter how 'terrible'

everything became

you'd stick it out

'ride or die' was the claim

or later in phrasing

even less profound

let's ride this shitshow 

into the ground

you think i don't know

you were shit talking me?

I didn't need to be told

(though I was, eventually)

I heard verbatim

the things that you said

from your own mouth

out the telephone's end

and if you've forgotten

your cruel words, please don't fret

i transcribed them all

so I'd never forget