It resides deep within the cavernous landscape of my heart

Beneath layers of thick tissue, guarding and protecting,

Every pump washes my organs clean, 

A purifying river, it warms me,

It bubbles up my throat

Alive, 

A biome of its own, with thoughts of its own,

It laces itself through my spidery veins,

Scouring for a comfortable place to rest

And from time to time I pinch it between my fingers,

To remember its warmth, it’s still there

I press it into my skin

And toss it from hand to hand, quick, before it dulls

And it knows the heat of my palms

The vitality of my scratchy skin

It runs its languid limbs all over me, it takes over my surface,

It gifts me a purifying saunter and I thank it sincerely, greedily,

What an effort you’ve made, taking me into your beautiful arms    

How can I learn sacrifice from you?

Teach, teach,

Wash me clean and I will listen

Unearth my potential, layer by layer, delicately,

Peel away my wrongdoing until I am beautiful like you

Until I am just like you,

Blithe and pure.