Heartworm

You slip into my soul,
Decoding words
That fall silent to others’ ears,
Because you know my heart can only pump
Blood to honeyed lungs, or an aching brain
Not letters to ordinary people.

You slip into my mind,
Because you know everything I feel
Flows through me--
Veins choked with thoughts,
Arteries clogged with dreams
That no one but you,
And I, will ever consume.

You slip into my heart,
Because you've convinced me it is rotten
So I let you eat away, and away,
Until you reach the core
And you run out of soul, run out of mind
Leaving just you, and me,
And the core of an empty heart--
Leaving the core of this empty heart to
d e c a y.