drag the people from their finest—
glittergold, velvetbound, neckpearls—
mouths sewn and eyes undrawn,
expose the conviction of your lips (in devilred);
the way you twist the holy words like
incense writhing from your throat.
i motion dismissal,
a procession of fingers
at my back.
you proselytize your gasfire,
a mass for your pageantry—
“i love you” never
felt so brittle.