Voices

Tear off my flesh and hurl it
to the sea for fish
to peck and greedy gulls
to squabble over - screeching.

Here are my bones -
give them to the dog to gnaw
and the pup to cut it's teeth on;
I don't need them.

My eyes - go on,
gouge them out and pickle them.
It's dark where I'm going -
keep them as a souvenir. Savour their gaze

as you sever my tongue and cauterise my throat
so I won't shout about the things 
I know you've done to countless others 
before me, as a warning.

Relish my shame
while you shave my hair
and sell it to the highest bidder
as you shrug an inner nag of accusation.

Then liquidise my brain
and drink it neat with my thoughts,
swallowing my apologies and pleas for mercy -
you now own them.

As for my heart -
you will not find that,
since you took it and crushed it  
then forgot about it long ago,

buried in the shallow grave
where you casually pass water
above where it waits for you
beneath the sullied grass.