deceived – poem by annelies zijderveld

deceived – a first draft by annelies zijderveld

there are words to describe this
but they elude me, you
bequeathed to me these moments
of dull self-derision

i am hollowed out by your paring knife
cutting away at all those soft
fleshy parts leaving this void that
echoes into the deeps, a stone skipping
across still water, momentarily struck,
then still again-

there are words to describe this,
perhaps stolen too, them, tucked
away in your pocket, awaiting ransom
just so i can speak at last.

i am wide-eyed in wonder at your capacity
for evil, smooth scaled and fork-tongued.
i just wanted a taste, to bite down into
the bright green skin, the tender flesh,
to see and know good from evil

but the joke was on me.