Shade

the dead girl rolls her eyes
suggests you name her
woman, at the very least; artist, she
is a seance with herself
planchette fingernails dragging
the blackened board
K - H - A - buckling in the heat
D - I - J - sigils for flame, for waste
do not break contact
lean in to hear her voice
smouldering, saying

i am so soot i turn canals to ink
in me all towers burn
i had already found my place
among the queens of my line
what have you done since
in my name?