Xanadu
 

for Gil Scott-Heron The revolution will not be televised. Donald will cut no ribbon for you, shake your hand, hand you a ladder; Vance will not sit down with Leo, sorry for Francis, glad to see him, glad to meet him; take a seat for a second Erika, your husband is dead, grieve him, god damnit because the revolution will not be televised. Immaculate conception will no longer be holy. Get a lawyer, don’t worry, cross that dotted line, like the 28 aliens who got ICEd; drug dea

The surgical tray waits beneath the white light, silver-lined with lap pads, caps and gloves. Everything in its place. The gown pulls tight around my shoulders. The room is quiet, only the autoclave– hissing beside the door. The 10 blade waits against my thumb, cold, clean, critical. While the sharps bin sits open. I scalpeled into her– Cutting her sleek skin past the stories past the places Past the fake she let everyone see. I scalpeled deeper– Through every answer. T

A group of girls not one of them acting normally— they are not talking, not breathing, not blinking. The anticipation builds within them all and even the coaches stop moving their mouths. Their spiked feet are behind a curved white line— drawn maybe in paint or chalk, done by a random, old official. The distance between them and the finish is unclear— maybe 800 meters, maybe 3 kilometers, maybe a mile. Many girls are shaking as they toe the line, but not from the ex

Your roses may look refined. Your dandelions may look dancing, But those flowers aren’t mine. I want my ivy interwinding over the fence. The compost you find disgusting, I find it delightful. You bought my soil, I want my dirt. I want my rabbit holes, Going farther the further down Winding further than anyone knows. You may think those things are Hideous, and horrid and should be gone. I love them as much as I love you.

I know her when she’s here, leaving behind something sticky in the air. And I see her still, angry and pouring her storms onto me, just to drizzle softly and weep wet water onto those near. Everything we were still creeps in my mind, some summer days and most summer nights.