Today

In a salty state of panic
the crooked jaw mumbles
apologies as eager eyes
stare too long, dry hands
reach out with jittering fingers
the head twitches and tilts
thinking only of a mirror
which cracked once or twice
remembering tough skin laughter
manicured index fingers point
so cold the tongues were as they
salivate at open wounds, cut fresh
from words meant to slice
a victim of vampirism, those leeches
those parasites of dark red fear
now dry, rickety joints shiver
below zero in an attic constructed
of an anonymous dead wood
will the sun shine bright today?