Tell and Tell (Meghan)

Tell and Tell

We cannot ask for secrets; they will tell

their tales in dawn or twilight in their time--

calm captives with the keys to their own cells.

And furthermore we hold them close, like spells

which once misused might ruin the sublime.

We cannot ask for secrets. (They will tell

their monstrous history in images from Hell,

in seafoam shades of punishment and crime,

calm captives with the keys to their own cells.)

You’re drinking gin and tonics from the well

and thinking sin and phonics laced with lime:

(She hasn’t asked for secrets, but you’ll tell

the way your body floated on the swell

of drowning waves engorged with killing slime

and calmly captured keys to your own cell.)

And will your naked words in me impel

the catalytic honesty enzyme?

We cannot ask for secrets; they will tell—

Calm. Captive. Copying keys to their own cells.