three metamorphoses

cw: death and rebirth, self-cannibalism, body horror

note: this poem is meant to be engaged with in a nonlinear, three column layout. this linear presentation is provided for accessibility purposes, while the intended layout can be found here.

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[metamorphosis 1]

bursting from our chest, a wolf
shimmering, with eyes all over
we'll wiggle on the rug a bit
take joy in wild form

with feral mind we, overwhelmed,
nose our body on the floor
not a trace of recognition
simply meat upon the floor

take first bite of jail left
and hurry more like fearful dogs
growl and snort and crunch and pant
anxious to see it all gone

and when our skeleton's consumed
we'll howl and run into the woods
a feral little creature free
of sweltering, awkward fleshy cage

[metamorphosis 2]

we'll slip our nails 'neath our skin
and push it off us from within
and off our skin will come in sheets
which we will then proceed to eat

sinew will be next to go
we'll eat our muscles off the bones
we'll eat our fat and drink our blood
we'll eat our stomach, heart, and lungs

and when we ghostly white bones meet
we'll gnaw at them between our teeth
we'll eat the splinters, sharp and narrow
swallow every bit of marrow

and when our skeleton's consumed
we'll eat our teeth and our skull too
nothing will be left to see
a spirit, eaten herself free

[metamorphosis 3]

we lay so still upon the bed
our skin is pale, dry, and dead
our breathing quiet, heartbeat slow
from deep within a blue-green glow

and pressure builds beneath our skin
and out bursts swarming bright legion
a spider mob, moths, crows and void
thirteen dogs, a plural voice

we, our children, flee our form
it sits alone upon the floor
and sprawling fungus slips white threads
throughout this prison we have fled

and when our skeleton's consumed
we'll go to where the fungus bloomed
with endless forms most beautiful and free
we'll flutter midst the mushroom's progeny