[POETRY]

[11/17/25]

Building as an Exoskeleton

by Cloud Sinclair

INDUSTRIAL CRANES HANG LIMPLY IN THE AIR
MOURNING THE SMOG & DESOLATION
EMPTY AIR
BULLET TIME
SOMETIMES ALL PEOPLE WANT IS FRICTION
SOMETHING TO MOVE
CRASH & SPARK
DRAGGING YOUR FIST ALONG THE CONCRETE LIKE FLINT
YOUR KNUCKLES BEG TO BE KISSED
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FRICTION
BODY ON BODY
SWEAT & LUMINOUS FLUIDS
FEEL THE RECOIL OF A HANDGUN
FEEL THE SHUDDER OF A MAN'S BODY AS HE LAYS SPENT BENEATH YOU SILENTLY
EXCEPT IT'S NOT A MAN
IT’S YOUR WIFE ALONE & DOCILE
SHE’LL LOOK AT YOU & WONDER WHEN IT ALL WENT WRONG
AT WHAT POINT HAD HER HUSBAND BEEN REPLACED WITH AN ANDROID DEVOID OF FEELING?
AT WHAT POINT HAD SHE DRIVEN & FOUND THE STREET LIGHTS MORE DAZZLING WHEN MIXING THE LOW LOW LOW LIGHTS WITH THE LOW LOW LOW LIVES?
WHEN HAD SHE GIVEN YOU HER SHOULDER INSTEAD OF HER CHEEK TO KISS GOODNIGHT?
WHEN HAD SHE REALISED THAT WHEN LYING IN BED NEXT TO YOU BATHED IN THE LIGHT OF A REVERSING CAR THAT SHE COULDN'T TELL HEAD OR TAIL WHERE EITHER OF YOU BEGAN OR ENDED
AN ANDROGYNOUS MESS
BLONDE ON BLOND
WHEN DID SHE REALISE THAT SHE MADE YOU SICK?

THOM SAID THE INVISIBLE DOG ONLY BARKS AT HIM
HE SAYS KILL ME SARA
KILL ME AGAIN
DEFORMED BUILDINGS BEGGING FOR MORE SHELTER
FOR MORE COVER UNDER THE BELLOWING BLUE TARP
I SAY STRANGLE ME AS I CUM
LET THE LIGHTS GO OUT OF MY EYES
I WHIMPER LIKE A YOUNGER MAN
LIKE A WOMAN WITH SOMETHING TO HIDE
BLOODSHOT EYES
RED UNDERSEA TENDRILS ALL REACHING FOR THE GODHEAD

I SCREAM INTO THE HOLE & WAIT FOR ITS RETURN THWACK TO RESOUND IN MY EARDRUMS
I BREAK PLEXIGLASS & PRAY FOR THE END OF THE WORLD IN MY LEVIS

CLOUD SINCLAIR IS 25 TRANS QUEER FROM LONDON THEIR WRITINGS HAVE APPEARED IN VARIOUS ONLINE MAGS. CURRENTLY WORKING ON THEIR DEBUT BOOK ‘COYWOLF’. FIND THEM ON SUBSTACK @SOFTWARE VERSION 7.0 & INSTA @00.cl6uu— THEY LIKE TO CONFUSE PEOPLE. IM JUST FOLLOWING A LYNCH KIND OF IDEA OF ART DOESNT HAVE TO HAVE A MEANING OR IF IT DOES HAVE A MEANING IM NOT TELLING YOU. THATS FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT. WE DONT NEED ANY OF THAT. THE CURTAINS ARE BLUE BECAUSE THE POET WAS DEPRESSED & BLUE IS A DEPRESSING COLOUR SO THEY WERE DEPRESSED THATS WHY THE CURTAINS ARE BLUE… IN YOUR OPNION! 

STAY CONFUSED. YOU’RE WELCOME.