the cold eyes of envy
placed upon thee to shiver in the veins
and arrest thy heart, thy steps in thine place
strips of the pale moonlight
outline shadows on thine face
edges of your beauty cut like mountains
great and looming to scrape that endless sky

our gods, our husks,
these things we hold sacred like temples, to worship
and your lips cut a smile as sharp as diamonds
and your laugh crafts a song

your clothes hide vandalism,
your eyes dark even when the day is full
our gods, our husks,
these things we hold sacred
this deprecation you whisper
a blasphemy in the breeze

so you shed your clothes, your skin, your smile
barren for all to see the savagery impressed upon thee
our gods, our husks
mere things to tamper
the edges of your beauty tempered like hardened steel