the woman I ask to turn hands to wings inside me 

rolls her fingers into hooks // curls knuckles into 

adhesive // wraps wrists down in purple duct tape //

christens new scales as dragon talons 

// and slides one polyethylene claw across 

my cheek // how simple it is to make love 

a blunt object // with which she cannot open 

doors // cannot season rice and beans // cannot pour 

clear liquor into a clear glass without spilling 

// I know we both learned pain // as weakness //

still I never wanted her to feel weak // when 

I asked C why she smothered her soft in plastic 

she didn’t answer // instead brought duct-tape 

to my mouth // I’ve never needed sharper teeth