through the eve
of a dancing night 
the reindeers bottle their
affections
as the show turns 
years young and racking
tangerine bliss up through 
the roof, I sat 
there. 
still icicled within my pulse 
and a fear for the veracity of that color 
you held up 
a looking glass
to the ankles of my soul 
and I waited 
until the noise passed 
until my bellybutton lifted for the morning 
to be free above the powder 
and to face it ag
ain
but for now 
I unhook the piercing 
let pour out what may 
seltsam questions 
about just the right amount 
when I left you years later 
in your discarded sunrise I 
should have stayed 
what I would give to be swaddled again 
in your breast 
to be held within the odor of tangential tears
In the mailing house 
of your venule 
but you lay glittering towards boston 
in a curdling snow 
behind the lace of a new girl 
so I refresh the ear with alcohol
stain my tears with 
ink, yet my lungs still beat for you 
in unflavored warehouses 
and jade 

Candace Fernandez is an English student studying literature and creative writing at UCLA. She is from the San Fernando Valley, and lives in Los Angeles.