ouroboros train

by Kashi Bakshani


{ catatonic on circular tracks, until liquor slicks her palm glossy over the pit—her enzyme

undoes double-helix embroidery stress stitched to the meat—rum-rock corks the railway,

flavored with sublime sweat


severity wraps warm in fleece, sheep skin against delicate cheeks satisfied with Damnation,

giggling condescension—yes, the wolf is cunning but he is no Shepard


fish-hooked guts with silver string in hand: pull out entrails or swallow the chain, ingest

mercurial soul—walk with me across aorta strung tightrope, thin, thin, red thread. } repeat x365


The conductor says, when will I sleep, on the ouroboros train?


Kashi Bakshani is a queer, South Asian poet from New York City.