a plea.

give me i need
something to make crackling snapping noises on my tongue
and a buzz between brain and fingertips
leave the letters flying off my fingerprints
another evidence of identity
as sure as these whorls and swirls
lie captured in ink these cursive characters
spill and spill and now run dry
i am grown thirsty pale and weak
for the rush the flood the blood
of words and melody
of wretchedness and remedy
something of hunger something of need
a reason to remind me to eat
to breathe
to be
lest i forget and fall into
this endless schedule of days
stepping from solemn square to the next
with numbers marching on
till i forget to what i belong to
and fall curved and crossed
where the x marks the spot
in red ink
that smells of iron and sweet
i might forget forget
what it means to be
me