Red Smoke

by Ridley Tankersley

from the album “Songs I Wrote” (2024) by Poor Ridley

Red smoke on an open wound
Burnt cigarette
a paper tomb
Splitting tongues
Alabaster sky
Cracked cement in
an amethyst eye
I’ll cut you open

Sick and dry,
Soiling earthly crust
Water rocks
turn vaporous dust
Gutfire blowing
searchful lust
I’ll cut you open
Let me cut you

I can’t let you look at me now
‘Cause I don’t know what to say to you now
I can’t let you look at me now
‘Cause I don’t know what to say to you

Blood temple, par exemple
why do I shake?
Home is icy, home is grateful
when will I break?
In this state of mind
I’ll cut you open

Ridley is a multimedia artist living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For music, he’s Poor Ridley. He coded his website all by himself, it’s poormoi.com or visit Poor Ridley instagram at poor_ridley.