Stardust Underskin

breathe heavy on my chest
where storm clouds brew
a concoction of sweat and lies–

harder , you hiss
and dig a sharp talon
into the lower stratosphere,
moving down my ribs
looking for breathable air

the scarlet sun trickles down your fingers,
bloodies your lips
and you kiss with the sharpness of a sword,
carelessly brandished,
drawing more blood, more sunsets
than I cared to share–

you dig deeper
pricking the ozone, an act maleficent,
but like a true explorer, you don’t stop
when nature is turbulent
and doesn’t like to talk about our future–

you dig deeper

you’re breathing hard;
you can stop but you won’t,
in spite of me insisting
there is nothing out there – in here.
I’ve cultivated this vacuum
with years of broken promises,
the smiles are on the surface;
listen, please…
no one survives out there – in here

you don’t stop,
you dig deeper,
and at my event horizon, I break
and galaxies rush out,
vacuum fills with exploding supernovae,
planets collide, the stars flare up;
my universe tending towards chaos–
and I lay foetal, waves of insignificance
washing over my flesh

I turn to my side,
the pillow lies empty,
the blanket’s folded back–
you have found escape velocity;
and I lie there,
your trails crimson all over my body
and you satellite,
my stardust stuck deep inside your nails.