in the 7th grade
my mother drove me
         6 miles up the river
i was 13
to get cat
from coworker

she picked one
out and up
that was stripped
grey
like layers of soiled snow

i
wanted to call her
Carbon

which i thought clever
my mother however
believed me silly
and named her Lily
my wit
overwrit
by matriarch-
                  al mood swings-
                                        ets
that i used
to play on

as i got older

gave that up
for word play
and love-
             d it
but i feel
like just another
carbon copy cat
in this sea
of swinging hips-
                       ters

13 layers
each
deep
artificial
diamond
in the rough
glow of black
light
essence
of
phospheresence
is the only thing
that is real