Can a Leopard Change Its Spots?

There are the whispers

That speak of nothing

And these are the whispers of neglect

There are the rumblings of emptiness

The black rumblings

Of annihilation

There are leopard spot prints

And there are true leopard spots

And there are true leopards

And pretend leopards

And zoo leopards

And here is my cat

Who is no leopard

Though she moves stealthily and quiet

And her claws have their sting

And her wildness untamed

I have officially grown tired

Officially mind you

Of trying to ‘fit in’ to whatever it is

I’m supposed to be

Wife?  Mother, even?

Woman.  Banshee. Barbie.

Witch. Traitor. Instigator.

Angel  beauty  whore

Proselytizer  soothsayer  ribbonweaver 

Gate keeper  sorrow cleanser

And so what is One next?

Without all my labels and tools

Without my bits of lace and jewels

Without my hair my lipstick my socks without my

Dairies with padlocks

Without my reason and commitment

And legal wrangling and teachings and learnings

And comings and goings

And earnings and yearnings

Without my thoughts stopped up my breathing

Flowing without my nothingness

My light my shadow

My sorrow my fright

???

Without my question