if Ophelia were real

You wake up

shake chimera from your hair

You scrape the slime off your tongue

You match your mood to your underwear

You paint your lips in desire

& line your eyes in despair

*

But there is no real reason for shaving

or smiling at your reflection

*

You walk the dog

You throw prose into oncoming traffic

everyone veers

*

Except for the one that picks up a wild metaphor, it penetrates the empty space inside his ribcage like a rusty nail. And you whisper into the wind: “Don’t be a stranger anymore.” But not everyone can love the beauty of your ruin.

*

You stop at the neighbor’s house

to eat their daiseys

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are mad

because you have songs to sing

*

Tonight you will go home

Lie down in your polyester silk

cross your arms over your breasts

& pretend you are floating

You are Ophelia, if Ophelia were real

bloated & soiled & reaking

& nibbled down

to the bone