jesus (an utterance)
the throat: full of wildflowers
the eyes: surrounded by deep pink flesh
can i swallow what i’m made of
(those i want to save but can’t)
//
at a funeral in kentucky my cousin told me
he tattooed a word upside down on his shin
with a heroin fix and nostrils half full of snot
and the echo of my mother’s voice from seven states away
its spill over uncut grass: let there be perfume rising
//
i want to be the very best was probably what i thought
when, at eight, i toasted myself at a family dinner
could i be my own noose, be my own jesus
//
in a field my lover touched me
in a motel another tongue down my body
the tongue: a fire for pills to burn through
the surrendered body: naked, unknowing defeat
//
all of this returning via hologram upon snow
my body tunneling, the sentiments reclaimed
and through this my heart learns to vomit
the lilacs, the lilies, the blossoming weeds
and the scent sputtered out from my lips
AM Ringwalt is a writer and musician (Anne Malin) currently studying in Boston, Massachusetts. Her words can be found in Whole Beast Rag, Souvenir, The Adroit Journal and DUM DUM Zine: Punks and Scholars. Like Cleopatra, Ringwalt’s debut poetry chapbook, was released in August 2014 by Dancing Girl Press. More information can be found here: http://annemalinringwalt.tumblr.com.