skinwalker ~ Arden DeCanio

you took my skin.

a skin is a taking is a tear a

one that once fit

you took it and

wore it and walked out

and waved.

they waved back.

they always wave back

to the wrong one

I said fine. I said fine

til the world unspooled

in greasy fingers

fine became find fine became

gone.

you were the one the one with

the teeth the one with my laugh

I was the one who chewed.

the mirror said hello the mirror

said who?

who is the body who is the walking

who will take it all

a skin is a sentence 

you never finish reading

you ate the comma,

left the breath.

I built a new me of paper

of pears of please

I mean God please

it rustles it drips

it glows without warning

every morning it spells my name wrong

every morning i let it

hope is hope the word repeats

hope hope hope

it stumbles it molts

it forgets where we met

maybe just maybe it’s her

but could be the shape

I once knew