Midnight Robber

I stole the torturer’s tongue

it’s the first side of me some see

the first line you hear

first line of defense when I say

“See this long tongue illicitly acquired—doesn’t it suit me well?

hear these long words assiduously applied—

don’t I wield them well?

wouldn’t you be foolish if you tried to tackle me in anything so complex as a

kiss or a conversation?”

I stole the torturer’s tongue!

hear this long tongue!

feel this long tongue!

this tongue sometimes my only tool not mine entirely but what is?

I was raised protectively of/as/by other peoples’ property—I got over that

this tongue is yours too if you can take it

I stole the torturer’s tongue!

man wouldn’t recognize this dancing, twining, retrained flesh

if it slapped upside the empty space in him head—

it will, it has; he’ll pay for the pleasure;

watch him try an’ claim as his own this long, strong old tongue’s

new-remembered rhythms…

hear this long tongue!

fear this long tongue!

know this tall tale to be mine too, and I’ll live or die by it.

I stole the torturer’s tongue!