Metamorphosis

[Semicircle]

White angel
Held in quiet stasis over
a lake of boiling natron
Hums to herself
In her sleep.


By the water’s edge
Spills over a deluge of
Metallic arms;
Interlocking, undulating,
Like army ants forming a bivouac.


From deafening belts
Of bursting steam
Rises a giant glass eye
Held by a spire of metal hands,
Orbiting around her;
Piercing her with a 
Pinpoint stare.


she begins to pirouette
Like a ballerina on strings.
Her hum polyphonic
Growing louder;
Melodic, entrancing
like a siren or a banshee.


She spins into a blur,
And so too her song;
Crescendos,
until she wakes,
Screaming in sudden realization.
Visages of her crooning and drawling
Continue melody in her blur
As she slowly lowers down.


The metallic arms rejoicing.
The pupil of the glass eye
Engorged and swaying,
Her toe taps the natron
Curving it into a whirlpool


Splashing froth over ignited brimstone.
She lets out a shattering cry
Submerging under.


Mechanical arms
Depart by trail of steam
As she resurfaces as stone–


a red angel 
Breaks free
From her encasement.