why bother: the crescent moon a giant

padded bra

the call to armor, eyeballs

yellowing, seen enough men

spewing their own flesh

men boiling (in purifying flames)

men melting (off their bones)

male sacrifice, male suffering, male, malum

—and you, are you but an angel

waiting to be ripped

apart, waiting to ripen

on parchment, waiting to be taught

how to coil the sulphur

make tin scream

are you

the lesser metal

lead