sweeter things

i saw two rats in the middle of the gutter
wrapped up in each other in the chill,
frozed. 

i saw the bum in front missing a bloody moon from his spine
and the gore and the fur in the shards of his brother's grin behind
just as well as well just knuckle and grimed
i saw them huddled to keep cold,
curled up holding hands to keep each other dead
beauty is only skin deep so they say
i say i say he flayed the flesh off with his fangs
skin and bone cold, wan my love, and black jane doe eyes 

and when at last i thought i had it, it turned to dust in my hands.