Red stripe

painted stripe of red
across flesh of breast
seeps deep into sternum
and rains upon constant drum

the rhythm that began
when energy stirred
and rose from its heated
and cloistered existence

an initial reach beyond
what had always been,
known and honored,
the center of it all

a reach that breached
the sanctuary's walls to
enter the depths of unknown
hollows, pores and pits

a breaching stretch of light
swirling from spinning galaxies
discharging from molten vents
rising from broken bodies...

pulse beat beat, pulse beat beat
pulse beat beat

painted red stripe
licked across the chest
saturates the beating heart
in an ocean of breaths

inhaled dawning tears,
bitterness of early hours
exhaled illuminated fears
abandoned in crumbling towers

inhales written leaves
falling on faded blades of grass
exhales swords that
loosen the grip of an unknown past

to inhale body's passing
in a temporary goodbye
to exhale into eternity
in a sudden wink of an eye

pulse beat beat, pulse beat beat
pulse beat...

beat of drum echoes into
the chasm of the cosmos
where red ebbs and flows
in infinite tides