IV
15 lines✦
ow hot the sheets are! His skin is tormented with pricks,and over him sticks, and never moves, an eye. It lights the sky with blood,and drips blood. And the drops sizzle on his bare skin, and he smells themburning in, and branding his body with the name "Annette". The blood-red sky is outside his window now. Is it blood or fire?Merciful God! Fire! And his heart wrenches and pounds "Annette!" The lead of the roof is scorching, he ricochets, gets to the edge,bounces over and disappears. The bellying clouds are red as they swing over the housetops. V The air is of silver and pearl, for the night is liquid with moonlight.How the ruin glistens, like a palace of ice! Only two black holes swallowthe brilliance of the moon. Deflowered windows, sockets without sight. A man stands before the house. He sees the silver-blue moonlight,and set in it, over his head, staring and flickering, eyes of geranium red.
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