Molly

Institutional control and betrayal.

Cigarette flare—
your lip a cinder
stamped in my forearm.

Burn me,
you do.

My babysitter.

The walls are padded.
I lie there,
vegetable girl,
tongue black with ash.

Burn me,
they do—

clean,
divine sear.

White giants
inking their iron cages
on the clipboard.

Tell me.
Tell me who.

Cherry syrup
gumming the throat.

Cough.
Cough.

My head bowed,
nun-meek,
drug-loved.

Burn me,
you do—

soft,
cruel.

Pack me full.

Molly mule.