Rorschach

[Todd]

Hi Aish,

I've been meaning to get to this since you put it up. Here are some comments for you:

So from the title and the first line, we have the Rorschach test. A tool to find out what can be known about someone and what is unknowable. The first line: You do not know (which is great by the way for how it links with the title) points to the ambiguity of the process.

You do not know, --the you seems to be the one trying to figure out the speaker. The you not only does not know but what they do see (or think they see) they find unlovable
nor love the chalky crevices and dark knotholes of my cenotaphic soul,--your word choices are what gives this piece such an odd tilt to it (which I like). I'm mixed about the long lines. Your model line seems to be 8 or 9 syllables so when you push them out they seem like an outburst of sorts. I don't mind them at all, and though I personally would have kept the lines uniform on my first draft that may be a mistake. It's like the person being examined is being seen in one aspect and then suddenly the rest comes pouring out. It seems erratic and maybe a bit dangerous. I love chalky crevices, dark knotholes and centaphic (great words). Centaphic is especially nice because it makes you think that why this person is the way they are has been buried far away, and you see a monument to it but not the remains.
coral polyp dissolved--again gorgeous word choices
beneath the drying bath of this polygamist sun-god;--I love drying bath (I love the antithesis of it), which could be the light of revelation also I guess. Polygamist is an interesting addition...though it may not be your point I got a flash of greek gods and transformation.

a lone calcareous skeleton
propped in a corner and forgotten,--I'd be tempted to move forgotten up to end the previous line and kill the and in this line. Here is what the cenotaphic soul points too
spidersilked against crickety planks too far indoors to suckle dew.--again this one pops with beautiful words: spidersilked, crickety, suckle--just gorgeous

And what of the cockroach-egg infested envelope
glue, embedded on the underbelly
of my tongue,--absolutely love this. What about the parts of me that are hidden (maybe even to me) ready to hatch. There's a part of the speaker that feels infected and dirty. If the other person saw to the deepest parts would they be repelled (the question). Great, great part

waiting to hatch
sleeping soft on the needles of refugees?--not sure I understand the needles here. I would be tempted to pull sleeping up before waiting though that could just be me

It's in the eye of the poppy seed.--the it is like trying to strain self-knowledge (or the alien knowledge of someone else) out of something tiny and unreachable. Great line
It's in the sightless bell jar full of melting stones.--I realize you're building an It's It's It repetition but on this line I'd cut I'ts and just go with "in the sightless bell jar..." could just be me of course but it feels smoother. I like sightless bell jar as it implies experimentation without intelligent observation.
It tarries,
and holds me, overdue.--I'm guessing the entire self revellation is what tarries though I could be off here.

Fantastic read Aish. Again, for me it's the tone and the work you did pulling interesting specific words in that really pulled this all together. Thanks for the read.

Best,

Todd