life

the gaping maw of ragged teeth
hang in a massive oozing jaw
its blackened licentious tongue
forms in the turgid flesh called life
and fixes in me in its gaze again
threatening to gnaw upon me
break me to a bloodied pulp
swallow digest eject my remains
as fetid matter good for only
the lowest life as fodder
for creeping vermin inhabiting
dung piles and the rotting heaps
that is the viscera of humanity

© 11 August 2009
Cynthia Ryder
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