They.

Three crouched muses
hidden in the drainpipes
They invite me to their weddings
in my dreams
There are remnants of
my wedding veil
Flayed tulle,
shredded litter in the gutters
Crushed pearls at their feet.

Their crystal laughter 

I would braid into my hair

A twisted maypole

Suspended stairs, spiralling

Swirling

through the inky blue.

Their tiny squeals

remind me now

of pigs with slitted throats.

We are the drug they say
Take us away
Take us anyway.
They are white socks
with black boots
matted down
peacock feathers
Forked tongues on polished teeth.

The reel is clicking over
click.clack
Take us away
shutter speed

Mouths opening, closing
click.clack
Take us anyway

Slippery black fish

Painted lashes

Red cake smear

Peeking orbs amongst the cracks
They are mouthing profanities
under a velvet undertow
I hear a siren song
It sounds like nothing
but they tell me they
are everything

Tick. Tock...nothing.
They are empty cardboards cutouts
They are scratched out photo faces
They are dark shapes in landscapes
of people who once were
Fluorescent in the shadows.

How quickly it all dies.