First Taste
The mother spoke your name across her lips
and kissed the children on the forehead
she turned down the lamps and closed the door
and you came out then from the closet
we had seen you once before
projected monstress onto movie screens
stalking outside under windowpanes
we understood you made your living
oh, where do you come from?
oh, where do you go?
and at the bottom of the staircase
hiding quiet under basement noise
you kept ready all your ropes and twine
tasting for my ankles
oh, where do you come from?
oh, where do you go?
dawn came slow and we awoke
with your fingertips
on our eyelids
and I am older and awake again
in the hours before morning
and I have learned you are a formless thing
undeserving of my fearing
still my skin speaks your name
it's hard to take
away the first taste
oh, where do you come from?
oh, where do you go?