The Snake Charmer's Daughter

A pearl
or the moon.

They still come to you,
Greek and shadows.

On my heel,
a tattoo -

Jezebel,
the fire-eater.

You hold asp to your chest
and laugh -

youngest daughters
still impressed by prowess.

The dancing
females are fat with babies.

I wear your death threats
in the place of their veils.

My wild
Arabian nights, spat out,

bad meat. I write
the stories of circumcision.

Speak pleasure
in the name of bandits

and rise with the sun,
living to spite

your name,
patron of thieves.