jaded cups of pennyroyal tea

two once sat at the corner café
sipping pennyroyal tea from jade cups
would you dance? one did ask
and the other rose covered in broken glass
and they waltzed beneath the starless night
held at arm’s length with blooded hands
each step a new cut’s tenderly bitter bite
held together by inviolate bands

the dance of life is danced with knives
in and out of the blades
darting to live in the tendrils of eternal moments
close enough that the blades can’t reach
where phoenix tears baptize the wounds
but I sold you and you sold me
under the spreading chestnut tree
sipping jaded cups of pennyroyal tea
amid the litter of rubied clear glass
fallen stars from the perfect night

standing naked across the gulf
scars mute testimony in the shattered starlight
without a voice something cries out
dropping to its knees something answers
with the same wordless voice which made us rise

a phoenix was burned tonight
and the flames rose bearing new life
from a bonfire of crosses
a phoenix was born tonight

sitting at the corner café
so familiar to be a stranger
one scarred hand finds another
and the world disappears
over jaded cups of pennyroyal tea