flesh

a remixed spin to Ross Gay's "Bringing the Shovel Down"

I wanna tell you a story I shouldn’t but will

of the peculiar ways I acquainted with this body

that boys & men like to see

through… Touch…

Not only my sad tale—

But Jeanne’s, and Celia’s

Chanel’s, Aileen’s

Junko’s

the Indigenous’

the ‘‘baddies'’’

All of them

who wear skin

will be oohed & gawked at by them

like pecking ducks

plucking for fucks

Force

fed disease for thrills

burped up like rotted meat

left for flies & maggots

left for circling vultures

left to bleed as we do best

I wanna talk about love and sex

frolic b/t flowers & feelings

flunk out of hate, despite awareness

preach of

civility/respect/acceptance

empower

bitches/sluts/cunts/twats/side-chicks/hoes

‘splain some more of our quiet place here

eat the cake, swallow the shame

But cum tastes sour, won’t stay down

travels back up like projectile puke

splashing/coating/marinading

the dicks

that break

souls in halves & pieces

Might as well slice ‘em & dice ‘em

grab a pan, sizzle the best parts

season the sacs

pound to perfection

tenderize the meat

chew, enjoy, spit out the rest

A dumpster dinner

to honor the girls

to avenge

beauty scars

broken wombs

hymens

smiles/dreams/hopes/laughter/lives…

A toast of sparkling blood

to the babes born in bodies.