electricity

i like to draw pictures
of broken things.

self-portraits, mostly.



we met in cyberspace—
talked with mouths
stitched shut,
earthworm fingers
spread open w   i    d   e
as our lacquered
thighs.

tapped  out LCD
conversations that
shimmied across networks
and _j ⁱ _t ^t _e ^r _b ^u _g ^g _e ^d into
glowworm hearts
leaking loneliness—
lit up nerves
frayed like
live wires.


whatever about

us

that has both my
screen and pulse
delirious is certainly
more than a
computer virus;

i do not know what love is but
if i did

[this
could
be
it.]



i once told you:
"i think you could fix me."
rolled up sleeves to expose
gooseberry arms, bisque
delineated with cornsilk
cracks, faded death
stripping color from
chinadoll eyes.
waited bare-
legged for
rejection.


you simply smiled and said:



"i like to draw pictures
of beautiful things.

portraits of you, mostly."