with no ears or mouth, her body talked for her.

i've been keeping so many secrets, and you've been making love to all my lies. you watch me from a distance, cherry-coated, candy-flavored brown eyes.

i keep dancing hand in hand with the man in the felt cap,

the man isn't homeless, he was just born like that.

grizzled in appearance, his beard sewn on crooked. a little candle he holds in one hand,

and a husky voice; he says, "look, kid.."

"i keep a diary that is buried under the only stone bridge in town. the local high schoolers go under that bridge to smoke reefer and burn the neighborhood down."

the kid says, "but mister, why are you telling me this?"

"i want you to go retrieve it, and if you do, you'll receive a kiss."

the boy turned away, thinking that this was all a joke,

but the man's kisses were made of silver, and as was his throat.

he held a 24k ring wrapped around his tonsils,

and the precious value of his digestive tract was enough to intiate thrills.

i followed the kid to the bridge that day, he had brought his rolling paper - planning on lighting up a jay.

"look kid, you're here. get the diary while you can, before the other kids in town retrieve it and receive their kiss from the man."

"but why do i need this diary, i mean, that man freaks me out."

"stop being such a faggot, if you don't get that diary, that man is going to pout. he may even kill himself, he seems so volatile. i hang out with him everyday - and realizing that took me awhile."

"who the hell are you?" the kid riddled at me.

"i'm exactly what you always wanted...and everything in between. my body is as slick as the grease you style your hair with, and my cheeks are worth framing - don't you like what you see?"

"yes, but i don't know why you and the old man want me. i am young, black, and poor - my cheeks are ashen. i live in the city and i have swollen feet. i might as well deal drugs, because drug dealers are the only people i can meet. i'm destined to a life of running the street."

"and that is exactly what makes you so neat. we want you to retrieve - soil this landmark."

he dug in as many places as he could,

and realized that each hole was empty - fuming with rage,

i kissed him on the cheek and burdens disappeared from his page. he no longer did drugs, he no longer lived in the city, his life became a whole lot better - nothing was shitty. he found himself laughing under a tree with little shade..

sitting there next to him was a replica of the old man - carved stiffly in jade.