If i were a cannibal
I’d start with my pinkies
because they are salty
and sweet
and delicious to chew on
when the stars are pounding down
on the top of my gray hairs

i would sing about the joys
of the flesh that consume me –
an endless rendition of happy
happy birthday to me and from me
and down into the belly of me
where I can digest me and turn me
into the very best of myself.

if I were a cannibal
I’d end with my pancreas
because it offends me
because it consumes my sugar
because she was so sweet
and kind, when the stars were pounding down
on top of us
as we laid there
unrefined.

I would sing about the joy
of the flesh that consumes me –
an eternal blasting of angels from the throat
hosanna in the lowest, be man.
and down into the belly of me
where I can burn away the bones
of them winged hurts and turn holy me
into wholly me. alleluia, a man.

if I were a cannibal
I’d eat til i were full of myself.