and the stinging rains will come
and slide through slits and jagged cracks
and turn the withered ash from white to grit and grey
and put out the black smoke fires, one by one.
and the rats will skitter and screech and scream
and their teeth will snap and crush and grind
and you will say that it cannot be undone
and turn your face away from the sullen rubble that remains.
and now your mouth is a slash
and your eyes are stained
and you have the hands of a sinner
and this is the last dance, the end, my love, good night, goodbye, forever.
