Catalyst

God save me.
Montresor—
I understand how he’d build the walls
and restack the bones.
For a moment feeling builds and
settles deep till it turns to
web-like aster.
Turning the body
cold and making the heart sick.
I turn away from crying faces
and away from whom I’ve hurt.
He cries out into the dark
but I build my wall.
He doesn’t understand
because I laughed with him until
the climax and until I left him
bound and broken.
I’m not afraid although my hands tremble
against the granite. The chains clink.
And echo.
I don’t want to see his tears.
I don’t want to hear his gasp.
I must be resolute and leave the walls
silent