Of Flame & Feather – Sandra Yvonne 
Falling into the mouth 
 of the cosmic cave, 
 a black pool of still water 
 swallows my tongue. 
 Shadows drip. 
 Caustic dark 
 claws at bone, 
 pierces lung. 
But I hear the scherzo 
 of hummingbird laughter. 
 Taste turquoise fire; 
 it tingles my tongue. 
 I sense the serpent 
 within me slither. 
 I exhale. 
Tongue unstrung, 
 eyes born of sun. 
 Holy feathers brush 
 against my broken fingers. 
 Shivers stitch my breath silver. 
 Gold bursts from fractured thought. 
 Burning, 
 Burning, 
 I Become.