Hard Love Rock

Today I heard my heart screeching like a subway train
loudly enough to remind me it was still human
loudly enough to hurt
but telling me still
you were a ghost I had
better left in the cradle,
telling me still
that our tracks ran around
instead of straight out past the sewers
that I would have nothing for barter left
not even the print of love’s grain
pressed into my flesh from our wooden cross
left splintered and shapeless
after the slaughter.

And when it was over
only pain.