Napier's Freshest Bones

getting back up again
at the back of his head an itch
—a loser never wins
this gnawing, pecking bird clutching his nape
so hard he never cleans it
like a six pack of hot dogs in motor oil and grime
shaves obsessively cuts his ear every time
he never cries



reinforce the barriers
smudge and burn the wards
shroud the prisoners you keep within
dampen all their roars
let the mortals sleep in peace
they do not have too long
keep the nightmares up your sleeve
and sing a pleasant song



Nothing's ever easy
least nothing worth the try
spend every day fencing angst
never too terribly wealthy in supply
we gotta titrate and measure with scales and by eyes
lest we run low and get too high



it's better than nothing
it once was a shame
we wear it with honor
a badge of our pain
call us a bastard
call us an airplane
we don't care what you call us
we know our own name