Gaslight Epistle

as
dark
pigment
drains from my
bushed eyebrows and beard
the sap of desire follows–
women become works of art not a place to pursue
i read epistles supposedly penned of old boys like me– paul, john, james and peter
often written by young ghosts claiming grey stature to warn the faithful of false teachers
who surely drooled as feeble gaslighters all-hoping
a female flock will drift along
behind fables old
shepherds hope
again
will
work