young girls tie ribbons around their slender throats
trying to keep their heads on
and this one is a fire and that one is a flame
and this one is a spark and that one is a match
you put out in your mouth when no one was looking
the ambitions are wake up, breathe, keep breathing
the ambitions are wake up, breathe, keep breathing
so you drive your dead body home at night
and when you sleep
the angels' kisses are mercury mercury
breaking love into lust
grinding pearls into dust
how old were you when you first lost control?
how old were you when you realized you could become invisible?
how old were you when you began to disappear?
Nicole Blackman
excerpts from "The Ambitions Are"
///