“Body Miscellaneous” was selected for THE BODY poetry longlist.
—
I am only my grief body, the size of a fist a
purpled fortune
fierce wonder of bone / what should I wear my
scavenger skin is too big
today my blistered skin is dirty with soot
there is nothing left of my witch skin my
rabbit skin is a beaded dress
I can’t force over my heartache
everything here is gutted / I’m sick with it
obey girl obey
everything here is beautiful
even my feral body slick with algae Mama
how long do you think it takes to drown
just if you had to take a guess and make it
with your arsonist’s tongue
it might sound like the magic I’m after Mama
which is why I’m asking
if I can hear your answer which one of us is still alive?
—
Jessica Bixel is a water bearer and a wannabe desert witch. Her poems have been printed in Sugared Water, Handsome, Parcel, Best New Poets, Grist, and Whiskey Island. She is a recent Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee.
Artwork by: Flora Westbrook
