i don’t know where the love is kept

or where it’s s’posed to be

or if in time like turpentine

it wears the scars from me..

can’t help but look to see if it’s

indeed a thing one holds

or maybe just a fleeting beat

encased in foolish gold,

I’ve looked in jars,

in old cocoons,

in nests that weren’t mine

in saturated fields of blanks

submersed in bittered brine,,

in deeper seas and narrow lakes

and tears that looked like rain

i swam into the netherworld

on limb to ease life’s pain,

still don’t know

don’t think i will

i’m the fool that holds the bag

of sad indecent forgeries

in bottle stuffed with rag,

and there in flames

that lick my wounds

and douse the barest hope

lay i in bloodied blinded search

tied down with devils rope.