Britney
Interesting thought from a boy: “I heard through the grapevine…god wears a dunce hat.”
Midway through my checkup at a new doctor’s office, I lock myself in the bathroom, take a picture with my urine sample and write: “I never want another male doctor’s hand on my body again. I don’t need to see his wedding band on my left thigh or listen to his laugh as he grabs my kidney through my skin. I don’t need his heavy breathing prefacing his anxious speech about how I shouldn’t worry because I’ll ‘fill out one day.’ I want to strangle you with your caduceus, Herr Doktor. I want to step on all ten of your toes and ask you if it hurts yet. #doctorgate2k16”
EXTREMES
BYE-BYE
PURITY
BYE-BYE
TOGETHERNESS”
—Marina Abramović
The blood’s the reason they’re so still…Jane Lane
Every time I speak to a man he becomes an ardent enemy of my sanity.
A sentry to my enemies arbiter of my right to bleed.
Trucker catcall from across the street I approach with clear intent. I have my skateboard raised and he rolls up his window tells me, “I’m going to break your fucking face if you come near me,” so I wonder what part he was calling for.
My best friend and I meet a man in his mid-20s who tells us about his two children watches us skate because he doesn’t want to mess up his shoes she says, “I’m so happy we finally met a guy in this park who doesn’t have ulterior motives.” I nod say nothing later we are freestyling in a circle he hops up next to me and I let his warmth settle and then right after, his hand on my thigh I don’t move but I know I don’t say but I know she says, “I’m so happy we finally met a guy in this park who doesn’t have ulterior motives,” I tell him about the man who has been obsessed with marrying me calls me his mistress when I ignore he says, “That’s awful but I understand why he would be obsessed with you,” she says, “I’m so happy we finally met a guy in this park who doesn’t have ulterior motives,” later he messages me to tell me how beautiful I am and how much he wants to see me again I’m so happy we finally met a guy in this park who doesn’t have ulterior motives.
A year ago one of the he’s sent me Loveless pitched one semitone up and I listen to it as I watch my lining collapse and rebuild collapse.
“I love you,” so I won’t die once a girl in the subway got her face slashed for saying “no.” ♦