Chastened

[MichaelFirewalker]

dropped down
thoroughly bled
shredded long ribbons
of me and of you
sliced clean
slick

scream
as they drip
their anointed red sin
now whipped
corpuscular thin

until all of them join
together
in a single long strip
of sanctified film
shot quick into sky

to hold and record
the blooded white feathers
that suddenly cover
our cascading wings
then cheerfully
boost us above
the rank deadly foul
of the lowland
floods

up here
a clear ruby wind
exultantly sings
as we struggle to fly
steadily higher
than high