you proudly bring your offerings to me

an entourage of pretty past loves

singing your praises

how lovely you are or how terrible

how tragically pathetic and they cannot hate you

how indifferent or how obsessed

the band behind you clanging symbols

and throwing petals to cushion your feat

my priesthood moves to guard me from your noise

from within my stone casing i reassure them

watch i say

and as you carry me by

lower me to see at eye level

and as expected though against my hopes

before the backs of your fingertips

can touch the tip of my granite nipple

you fall

sprawling your turban unravelled

the fragile gift shattered and melted at once

upon the unforgiving earth

and i remain still

and still i remain