Symbiosis

by Kimberly Zittel

Are we parasitic or symbiotic?
Nose nestles into nape
legs overlap like Chahlah bread-braids
I slice yeast-filled memories
as emotions rise to the surface
and my body boundary forms steaming crust.

Are we parasitic or symbiotic?
You open your windows
wide whispers of witches…
you watch as wind wisps through
as fingers-linger in your blood-stained hair…
as you lead me by my eardrum
into a bathroom where you tore your skin apart.

Are we parasitic or symbiotic?
Rest your hand on vocal cords
previously laid dormant
allow volcanic-song-sounds to seep
reverberations through fingertips…
you touch voice and weep.
hold hands and embrace a word-less world
no one else penetrates.

Are we parasitic or symbiotic?
Rivers pulse through veins…
feeling paralyzed feeling defective…
finding chemical-induced-pollution
threaten concept of self
figuring out how much of the Truth one ought to be availed…
I lend you the red flows
from my own arterioles
…all knowing I can not loan you a liver.

Are we parasitic or symbiotic?
We thread a needle.
We guide toward initiation.
We dance as angels in an unknown territory.
We create beautiful images smear oil pastel colors.
We intricately draw lines on each others skin…
We heal, we hold,
We grow and shine like a glowing orange firefly.
We move from the parasitic…
where lies death
and create symbiosis…
where is the balance.

Through the balance we learn to live.

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