birth / day

there are things that cling to me
that are not mine -
things that have come
from somewhere
else

they like to latch on to the tendrils
of me, at first I don't notice
the scratch at my periphery -

suddenly, I feel
my brain
dragging,
my
reproduction organs
tugging themselves into swollen knots

and I know.
I'm
holding
within me
a parasite

at least
I know.

it's still revolting.

at best
I can stand
by the window,
and invite
the rain to wash over me,
to wash them off

at worst they'll cry through the tips of my fingers
make their way up
into
my throat

and flood out my eyeballs

mostly, I don't mind.
I'm so good at playing host.

but other people mind
and they mind that I don't mind
they will encourage me
to fix, or
get fixed,
"okay?"

though I know fix begins
with staying, still.

I feel the parasites out,
their little footpricks on my skin hairs -
trying
to get
somewhere, too

They also want out.

They've another destination.
it isn't me
and I'd be self-absorbed
not to realise

A place that isn't even at this volume of gravity -

and eventually, after climbing
beyond capacity to fill
they'll slip down my
face, rest
briefly in my mouth
and continue back down
through the earth
to inhabit some other soil

I'll be empty
again.
and I'll wish to feel
the echoey ding
of those ferocious ghosts