let’s play a game — the fanciful kind,

whisper-light of dreams. pillow-sigh,

steam-mirror. whichever way

dice lands when it rolls,

look who’s always the winner. reaching

for more and more and more:

insatiable. however much is

gorged on there’s still more to

swallow whole. monopoly spread of

want-to- touch. let’s play a game

— learn to run. stress daisy-white

sneakers against gravel. count down from

ten. nine, eight, seven, six — you hide before

hourglass topples. lust for the chase

your undoing. catch me if you can -

but that’s part of the fun. the race, the hunt, the rattle in your lungs.

how does it feel,

to be the rabbit, asks the fox.

answer aborted —those teeth slotted

oh-so-lovingly against cotton-soft scruff,

exposed livewire neck. hard to breathe

beneath ivory fangs but you still

gasp out please before

you heave out your last.