Moonlight strips striped her throat where buttons paled,

fluxed and veiled: her Moon Rabbit’s lingerie—

Her glove, Sugimoto’s lips— had prevailed.

Unspooled— Her puckered silk sot on display.

“Discipline, mother!” The lieutenant turned,

fallopian rope with shape. Aoki

burned. Eh? Aoki burned. Aoki burned;

became an altarpiece. Their twisted sea.

Nakano, through ghost breath glass that steamed

with her palms, flat as cold reflection. Mapped

how? Aoki prayed, reeked of sea wolves, still

circling. Twisted sea? Twisted sea? screamed

the piece, altar-wise: her Moon Rabbit rapt—

pussy willow— then whippoorwill’s will.